JunkyardigansII
by Eliaza
Summary: Spirits are high as the next Jellicle Ball draws near. Most of the Jellicles are relieved that Macavity has not shown his face for some time, but others see it as ominous...
1. Prologue

_Prologue: Orders_

"So. You think she's ready for this, do you?"

"Oh, yes." The queen had to work to contain her excitement. "Let me assure you, you have no cat more loyal—"

"I'm not questioning her loyalty," the tom cut her off impatiently. "I think my little example served to ensure that no one will soon betray me. They have all seen what happens to disloyal cats." The queen shuddered, then picked an imaginary flea out of her black coat, hoping her leader would think that _that _was the trouble. The ginger tom was not convinced.

"Ah, I see it _did _have an impression," he said with a smile. Any cat would have seen his smile as genuine; but not a henchcat. They had learnt to see the way his eyes glinted.

"Sir," said the queen carefully, "I know you do not doubt my daughter's loyalty, but she wants a chance to _prove _it, all the same. She wants to show that she is not a traitor like…them." No one was permitted to say the traitors' names. One still lived, but he was treated with scorn, and was never addressed by his name; the older cats called him 'traitor', the younger cats, 'One-ear'.

"Yes, of course, I understand," the ginger tom nodded. "And that is well, for only a young cat can do this job I have in mind. There are others I could ask, of course, but your daughter was always more clever than the others, even as a tiny kit." The queen couldn't prevent her eyes sparkling with pleasure, and the tom noted this with amusement. It didn't take much to please his queen henches, so long as they had kittens he could flatter. "Here is what she must do." The black queen leaned in to listen.

"I am yours to command, Macavity!"


	2. Kitten Play

_Kitten Play_

"When's it _my _turn?" whispered the midnight-black kitten.

"Right now," the older, black and white calico queen whispered back.

"Now," repeated a little gold and black tom-kit from behind her. The queen-kit opened her mouth, then hesitated.

"Are you sure? _Now?" _

"_Now," _the queen assured her.

"Okay." The little queen lifted her tiny paws into the air, and let out a tremendous screech—louder than one would expect from such a tiny creature. "Help!" she screamed. "He's after me! Help!" A young ginger tom leapt out from behind a rubbish heap and grabbed her—albeit gently—from behind. She let out an even louder screech, even though she'd been expecting the 'attack'. The calico queen paced around frantically.

"Who will save her? Someone help! My kitten!" The gold tom-kit paced around, imitating her.

"Whoosaver? He'p! Kitten!" Another young queen, a tawny-and-grey tortoiseshell, ran up to them. She took one look at the 'kitnapped' kitten and her frantic 'mother', gave a small shriek and went into a dramatic (albeit false) swoon, paw to her forehead and everything.

"Don't worry!" called another queen's voice. "Help is on the way!" They all looked up (except the swooning queen, who continued to play her part beautifully) to see a red-and-black tortoiseshell queen coming towards them. Hard at her heels was a little silver-and-black tabby queen.

"He's coming!" she cried. The queens all moved aside to make way for a silver-furred tom—all, that is, except the still-swooning tortie.

"Unhand that poor, helpless kit!" roared the silver tom, "or by Great Rumpus Cat I'll—" He was cut short when he tripped over the 'unconscious' queen, whom he hadn't noticed. He picked himself up, glaring at her in annoyance. _By Great Rumpus Cat I'll pull out Etcetera's whiskers…_

"You're s'posed to get outta the way, Etcy!" the 'kitnapped' queen stage-whispered.

"Get 'way, Etti!" repeated her little gold brother. Etcetera picked herself up, rather red in the face, and backed away to stand with the other queens.

"Then get on with the rescuing," she growled to cover up her embarrassment.

"Thank you," said the silver tom with a curt nod. He cleared his throat. "Unhand that kit, or by Great Rumpus Cat, I shall rend you to bits!" So saying, he launched himself at the ginger tom, who let the kitten go (careful to shove her out of the way) with a mock cry of dismay. The other kittens cheered as the two toms rolled around in their 'fight'.

"Get him, Merlin!" the tabby queen called to her brother, looking on proudly. The tiny gold tom's eyes widened, and he tugged the black calico's tail.

"'Mima! He'a kill Perci!" Before Jemima could reply, his older sister cut in impatiently.

"He's just pretending, Demi," said the silver tabby, rolling her eyes.

"Merrilee," scolded Jemima, "he's just a baby." Demi—whose full name was Demetrius—crossed his arms defiantly.

"I notta baby!" he declared. He turned to the red-and-black tortie. "Wite, 'Lecta?"

"Of course not," Electra assured him, with a smile for him and a wink directed at Jemima.

"Look!" interrupted Etcetera, bringing their attention back to the pretend fight. Merlin had the ginger tom, Percival, pinned. Perci looked the picture of defeat.

"I am victorious!" declared the silver tom. He turned, grinning, to help the other tom up. "Great game!"

"You saved my dear Dahlia," said Jemima, wiping away imaginary tears. "Thank you, brave tom!" The two smallest kittens clapped their paws delightedly.

"Can we do it again tomorrow?" Dahlia begged, latching onto her older brother's arm.

"_Pwease?"_added Demetrius. "T'mowow?"

"Sure," agreed Merlin.

"Only this time, let someone _else _be Macavity," said Perci, somewhat irritably. Their game was all well and good, but it got rather tiresome always being the villain; always being the hated one; always being the one to get bit and scratched and— _Will you _stop _it, it's only a game, _he reminded himself fiercely. He wasn't his father, and never would be.

"You not be Macavity?" Dahlia's eyes widened at the idea.

"No'be Makitee?" Demetrius repeated. The older kits exchanged uneasy glances.

"He deserves a break from being the bad guy," said Jemima firmly.

"I'm sure someone else wants a turn," Electra reasoned.

"I'm sure someone else wants a turn being the _hero," _added Etcetera, glancing pointedly at Merlin, who laid his ears back.

"Yeah, well, I'm the best at it," he muttered mutinously.

"Ooh, c'n I hav' tun being ki'nap?" asked Demetrius excitedly.

"Or, we could_ both _be kitnapped," giggled Dahlia. Before anyone could stop them, both kits raised their paws in the air and screeched Macavity's name as loudly as their shrill little voices could screech—which was pretty loud. Jemima groaned inwardly, and glanced around for the three figures that would inevitably show up at the call. They weren't long in coming.

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Author's note: I switched Merlin and Dahlia's colors; err that is, I made Dahlia black instead of silver, and made Merlin silver. Sorry for any confusion...it may still call Merlin 'gold tabby' in some places... I think the editing thing on here is dysfunctional...


	3. False Alarm

_False Alarm_

The tall silver tabby tom headed back to his den, feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders. Every day he'd felt this same relief; the relief of a day passing with no sign of _him. _

A scream.

Munkustrap spun around, his eyes widening. _It was his kits. _He hurried in the direction of the Dump, the kittens' 'play area' (or 'hangout', as the older ones liked to call it. It had been dubbed 'the Dump', because the kittens claimed they were 'dumped' there when the older cats didn't know what to do with them). He knew it; he'd known this would happen; it had only been a matter of time…But was he prepared? What would he tell Demeter? Would his mate ever recover if—? He shook his head, unable to complete the thought. Just then, a streak of red passed him.

------------

The red and black queen rushed into the dump, panting. She'd told them, she'd _told them, _not to leave the kittens unattended! Munkustrap was usually more responsible than this! Were they letting their guard down again? "What's—?" she began, before doing a double-take on the kittens looking at her. Something was wrong.

That is, something was _not _wrong. No kitten was missing; and the only ginger tom here was Perci. "What in the name of Great Heaviside is going on here?" she demanded, glaring around at them. The older queens and Perci looked down ashamedly; Merlin rolled his eyes; and Dahlia and Demetrius huddled together, looking as if they thought the red queen would tear them to pieces.

"Sorry, Bomba," Jemima said finally, raising her eyes timidly to meet her half-sister's.

"'Sorry' doesn't answer my question," Bombalurina spat. She looked up as Munkustrap entered, his eyes alight with panic. "You can relax," Bomba informed him. "It's nothing. That is, nothing to be worried about. It certainly is _something, _but they haven't been good enough to tell me what."

"It—it was us," Dahlia squeaked out. "Me and Demi—that is, we were…"

"Don't you know better than to worry us like this?" Munkustrap scolded, turning sorrowful eyes on his youngest kits. They were too young to understand what the name they'd screamed truly meant to their family, and in fact the entire Tribe, but he'd thought he'd explained it well enough for even their kitten minds to grasp.

"I fo'got," whimpered Demetrius. "A soggy, Dad."

"Yes, I'm sorry, too, Daddy," added Dahlia.

"You must never do that again," said Munkustrap, squatting down kitten-level to look into their faces. "Macavity is a very naughty cat who has done mean things to us before. My job is to protect everyone from him. I don't want him to come get you. If you keep pretending he has, then no one will know whether you really need help; and it causes Mummy and me to worry for no reason. That's not fair. Now, do you understand?" The kits nodded their heads solemnly.

"We'll never do it again," declared Dahlia, putting her paw across her heart.

"Nevvur 'gin," Demi repeated, placing his own paw across his heart. Munkustrap smiled and stood up to leave.

"That's _all?"_ Bombalurina demanded of the Tribe Protector. "And supposing they 'forget' again?"

"What's going on?" inquired a voice. They all turned to see a small-built queen with gold and black fur almost exactly matching Demetrius'. She held up a paw. "I know _he's _not here. But someone yelled his name. Why?" She looked around at the kittens, her gaze resting on her own. Bombalurina turned to her sister with flashing eyes.

"Demeter, you've_ got _to make your kits understand—"

"I've just spoken with them," said Munkustrap, somewhat sharply. "They do_ not _need another lecture."

"Oh for Heaviside's sake!" exclaimed Merlin in exasperation. _"What _is all the fuss about? We were only _playing!"_

"What do you mean?" asked Demeter, frowning slightly. Merrilee hissed through her teeth.

"There's a game we play. Perci's Macavity, he 'kitnaps' Demi or Dahlia, Merlin saves them. That's _it. _What in catnip is wrong with _that?" _Perci flattened his ears, wishing Merri had left out the part about him being Macavity…

"You've made a_ game _of it?" Bomba was about at the end of her rope. She turned her back on the kittens. "I've done with them," she hissed to Demeter and Munkustrap. "I was right, they _don't_ understand."

"Bomba…it _is_ only a game," Electra ventured.

"The kittens enjoy it," said Etcetera sullenly, neglecting to mention how much_ she _rather enjoyed it herself.

"And _tell _me you never played pretend games when you were a kit, Auntie," growled Merlin impertinently.

"Find _another_ game," snapped the red queen, before storming out of the Dump. The kittens stared after her.

"What is her_ problem?" _asked Merri, shaking her head. Demeter cuffed her daughter around the ear.

"First of all, you'll treat your elders—especially your _aunt, _for shame!—with respect," said the gold queen sternly. "I thought I'd raised you _better _than this."

"Not _our _fault she acts like a kitten," said Merlin rebelliously. Demeter looked to the sky as if for help.

"You two! It's no _wonder _Demi and Dahlia can't figure out how to behave. Merri, Merlin, I think you can spend the rest of the day doing something _useful—_such as helping Jellylorum clean. Come, let's find her. _She'll _certainly keep you out of trouble." Demeter walked out of the Dump, her two scowling kits in tow.

"We really didn't think it would cause so much trouble," Jemima said pleadingly, turning back to Munkustrap. The silver tabby shook his head wearily.

"_Please _try to be more sensible," he said, looking at Jemima, Etcetera, Electra, and Perci. "Remember you're almost cats; I can't afford to chase you around like kittens anymore." All four hung their heads, completely humiliated. "I know you like entertaining my kits, and I appreciate it; just be more careful about _how _you do it."

"We will," Etcetera promised.

"I'd rather you didn't play that game anymore," added Munkustrap, in case that point hadn't been made clear.

"Of course not," Electra assured him. "Never."

"Never!" chorused Demetrius and Dahlia.

"Merlin will be disappointed," said Jemima, with a small smile.

"I think he just enjoys beating me up," said Perci ruefully. Munkustrap gave him a sorrowful look before turning to go. The others looked confusedly after him, then turned questioningly to Perci. "Eh, there's just some things that adults don't find funny, I guess," said the ginger tom, forcing a laugh.


	4. Anticipation

_Anticipation_

The patched-and-striped tom pushed himself up into the handstand which, after weeks of practice, he'd finally perfected. (All right then,_mostly _perfected. He was still a bit wobbly.) "What do you think?" he asked the toms around him, grunting with the exertion of keeping himself upright—upside-down, that is. "Think the queens'll like it?"

"_I _think you look like a confused chicken," said his older, similarly-marked brother dryly, reaching out with a paw and nudging his brother's foot _ever _so slightly, sending the younger tom toppling down onto the floor.

"Hey!" protested a small, black tuxedo tom, "I wanted to see how long he could keep that up, Tumble!" Tumble, a.k.a. Tumblebrutus (to give him his actual name), shrugged.

"He'd have kept it up for maybe a fifth of a second longer, that's it," said Tumblebrutus. His younger brother, Pouncival, got to his feet, glaring at the older tom.

"You've not seen it since I got it perfect," growled Pouncival. "I could've stayed like that all day!" He was rather glad when no one asked him to _prove _that point. "Why d'you think I looked like a confused chicken?" he couldn't help asking.

"I can see where he got the _confused _part," said a ginger-and-black-patched tom before Tumble could reply. "But the chicken? I've no clue."

"Oh, it's very simple," explained Tumblebrutus. "He was upside down; his face was so red it looked like he was trying to lay an egg. Do chickens lay eggs upside down?" Pouncival turned even redder than he'd been while upside-down. He flew at his brother (he had to force himself to keep his claws in; he didn't want to hurt Tumble _that _much).

"You know," he panted, "I think I'd like to see how long it takes all the blood to rush to _your _head!" Less than a foot from his brother, an arm suddenly reached out and 'clothes-lined' him, knocking him onto the ground. Pouncival sprang to his feet and glared at the black-and-white tom who'd just come onto the scene.

"No violence," said the black-and-white, glaring sternly between the two brothers. Tumble looked smug; Pounce was fuming.

"Ha, _you're_one to talk about violence, Alonzo!" spat the striped-and-patched tom. He took deep breaths to calm himself. Normally, this kind of thing wouldn't have made him so mad, but he'd worked _so _hard on that handstand, and it wasn't just_any _handstand, it was supposed to impress the queens…! "Anyway, shouldn't you be patrolling?" Alonzo had, in the past, often been lazy about his position as the other Protector of the Tribe, a sort of second-in-command to Munkustrap, if you will. He did well when it came to the _fighting_ part of protecting; but he neglected the little 'details', such as patrolling the borders, or simply making rounds of the Junkyard to make sure everyone was all right. He'd gotten better, though, since their most recent run-in with Macavity. The incident had caused him to be more alert about things, more responsible. Still, his lazy side _would_ show up on occasion…

"I've already patrolled my half of the 'yard," Alonzo informed the younger tom. He looked around at the others. "So I guess you're all practicing…" His eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of a grey-and-white tom. "Admetus! So you're going for it this year?" Admetus nodded, with a somewhat nervous smile and a sideways glance at Plato, the ginger-patched tom, who grinned in satisfaction.

"Oh, yeah, every queen at the Ball's gonna be after him this year," Plato predicted. He'd been giving Admetus 'flirting lessons' for weeks now, in preparation for the next Jellicle Ball, though none of the others knew it—except maybe Pouncival, who'd caught them in the act. They'd made up some sort of excuse, but Pounce may have figured it out anyway. If he had, he didn't let on.

"So you're going to do our Impressive Dance and _everything?" _asked Alonzo.

"Er—well, I'm going to try…" Admetus began.

"No, he's going to _do _it," corrected Plato, raising an eyebrow at his friend. The silent message that one eyebrow conveyed was, 'Don't you _dare _back out and let all that time be a waste!'

"I hope_ Etcetera's _impressed, don't you?" said Pouncival pointedly, looking searchingly into Admetus' face. The grey tom turned red, all the way to his ear-tips. Pounce shook his head in confusion. "You really _do _like her, then?"

"Do I go interrogating you about who _you _like?" growled Admetus, annoyed. Tumblebrutus laughed.

"Oh, Pounce isn't to _that _point yet. He hasn't started singling out queens yet. He doesn't care who's impressed, so long as _someone_ is." Tumble glanced at his brother, as if wondering whether he'd deny the charge.

"Humph," sniffed Pouncival. "For your information, there _is _one specific queen that I find _particularly_ attractive."

"Oh? _Do _tell," said Alonzo. Pouncival beckoned; they all gathered round him like a bunch of gossipy queens—except the tuxedo tom, Mistoffelees (or _Magical Mr. _Mistoffelees, his self-given 'magician' name), who had gone a little ways away from them to practice with the mysterious magic that he possessed, and was at last learning how to control.

Pounce had been lying through his teeth. But now that he'd said it, might as well go through with it. In his mind, he listed all the queens in the junkyard and selected one at random. "It's Cassandra," he whispered. Tumblebrutus rolled his eyes, knowing there was _no _way his brother would fall for the queen whom he'd always detested so thoroughly.

"Wow, Pounce, that's _really _mature," Tumble growled, walking off to practice backflips.

"All right, who is it _really?" _asked Plato.

"I already told you," said Pouncival gaily. The other toms backed off from him.

"All right," said Alonzo, shrugging. "If that's the way you want it." He wouldn't have had _that _much trouble believing Pounce. After all, if the tom could be attracted to Bombalurina (which he'd certainly seemed to be at the last Ball), who was his half-sister _and_ almost a generation older than him, then _anything _was possible. Except Alonzo knew Pounce would never be so quick to tell them who he 'fancied'. Moreover, he wouldn't have cared in the least if it _was _Cassandra. He himself had liked her for a time; what tom hadn't? But that hadn't lasted long. Really,_none _of Cassandra's relationships did. Mistoffelees, who'd overheard, left off practicing his magic and went over to the group. _Just as well, he couldn't concentrate with them talking anyway. _

"So, Pounce fancies Cassie, does he?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the younger tom.

"Yup," said Pouncival, going back into his handstand. Since it wasn't true, he didn't give a mouse's tail about who found out. In fact, it would be most amusing if this little rumor found its way to Cassandra's ears…

"I thought she was a heartless rat?" Mistoffelees persisted. Pouncival didn't answer, but let himself fall, then got to his feet.

"Hey, where are you going, 'Lonz?" he asked, as the black-and-white had begun to leave. "Don't _you _have something cool to practice?" He couldn't imagine a Jellicle Ball without Alonzo trying to impress every queen in sight. "What about Bomba?"

"What about her?" Alonzo responded gruffly.

"I thought you…"

"Well, you thought wrong then!" the older tom snapped. Pouncival backed up slightly at the unexpected outburst. An annoyed Alonzo, now that was fun. But this _angry _Alonzo…he didn't like that so much. Even Tumblebrutus had stopped back-flipping to stare at him in confusion. Before any of the others could say anything, Alonzo's anger left him just as suddenly as it had come. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? But trying to impress Bomba would be a waste of time. Maybe you can ask her what her deal is." Then he sighed. He actually _sighed. _Without another word, he turned and walked off.

Pouncival turned to the others. "What…was…_that!" _

"Got me," Mistoffelees shrugged.

"Yes, I do!" laughed a voice, while at the same time two slender arms seized him from behind.

"Wah!" Misto cried out in mock alarm. The other toms sniggered, causing the tuxedo tom to turn beet-red. "Okay, Victoria," he muttered, "you _got _me; now would you mind…?" The white queen moved out from behind him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, do I _embarrass _you?" teased Victoria, purring and rubbing up against her tom. Tumblebrutus and Pouncival watched in amusement, but Plato and Admetus looked away uncomfortably. _Plato_had been Victoria's tom for a while, but they'd broken up over something stupid. The two had long since made up and become friends again, but Plato still found it hard sometimes, seeing Victoria and Mistoffelees together. And being constantly reminded of what he'd lost—well, thrown away, more like. As for Admetus, he just felt plain awkward.

"Of course not!" Mistoffelees was saying, reaching out a paw and mussing Victoria's headfur. Victoria opened her mouth to say something, and Misto quickly added, "I hope you didn't come hoping to see magic; remember what I said, you have to wait 'til the Ball. More exciting that way," he grinned. Victoria gave a small pout, but shook her head.

"No, actually…" She turned to the others. "What's wrong with Alonzo? He looked like…well, I've never seen him look like that."

"Eh, he's feeling glum because his charm's going to waste," said Pouncival carelessly. Victoria looked confusedly to the older toms, but saw her confusion reflected in their faces as they told her what had happened.

"Wow," she giggled when they'd finished. "He's got it _bad." _

"_What _'it'?" asked Mistoffelees, frowning.

"You know, _it."_ She tapped him on the nose and looked around at all the toms, who wore identical blank looks. "Oh, you're _impossible!" _she cried in exasperation. "It's obvious he likes Bomba. A _lot."_

"Well hasn't he _always?" _asked Admetus.

"Yeah, he's always tried to impress her," Plato pointed out.

"Well, sure," Victoria rolled her eyes Heaviside-ward. "Her and just about every other queen. But not anymore."

"Still don't get it," said Tumblebrutus.

"Toms," Vick sighed. "Look, before, if Bomba had acted like this, don't you think Alonzo would've just shrugged and tried another queen?" They nodded dumbly. "Well, he's _not, _is he? He's still got his eye on _her." _ With that, she walked off, brushing Misto's arm with her tail as she went.

For about five seconds there was silence. Then,

"_Oh!"_exclaimed all five toms together. They all gave each other a look that conveyed a message that they were all too proud to say out loud: _Oh catnip, we're stupid. _


	5. Different

_Different_

A ginger, black and white-striped tom paused and stood irresolutely a few feet away from the other toms. _The Jellicle Ball was coming. _He'd known it, of course, but all of a sudden he was very aware that it was not only _coming, _but was coming _soon. _

"Yew comin', Jerrie?" growled his similarly-colored (only with more golden-brown than ginger) twin sister, who'd turned around to glare at him with one paw on her hip. The other paw held a full sack slung over her shoulder. Her brother held a similar one; sure signs that they'd been out thieving. You might say these twins were the resident cat-burglars of the Tribe.

"Er…sorry, Teazah," muttered Mungojerrie, the ginger twin, for some reason feeling his face heat up in a blush.

"Yew okay?" Now the golden-brown twin, Rumpelteazer, sounded genuinely concerned rather than annoyed.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine," said Mungojerrie quickly. "Er, listen…c'n yew maybe carry me sack back t' the den fer me? I'd er…like t' talk wi' them…" He indicated Plato, Admetus, Tumblebrutus, Pouncival, and Mistoffelees. Rumpelteazer frowned, but gave a shrug.

"Suppose. Eh, I must be goin' soft, lettin' yew go off an' play with yer friends while _I _carry two 'eavy loads a bunch a' grueling miles…" When her brother looked guilty, she gave him a playful swat. "'Ave fun, Jerrie. I'll see y' latah." Teazer picked up his sack along with her own, and continued on to their den. Mungojerrie sighed, glad she hadn't asked him _why _he wanted to talk to the others. He needed advice, and badly. With a deep breath, he walked over to the group of toms.

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After Victoria's revelation, the toms had quickly got to talking about Bomba (though they rather forgot to be concerned about her odd behavior), which had steered the conversation around to queens in general, which had eventually led to the yearly question asked by all toms: _Who are you going to ask to the Ball? _Everyone knew you never went _alone _to the Ball. It didn't really make a difference once the Ball actually _started; _the cats, for the most part, danced as a group. But it was the _principle _of the thing, of being sure to have a partner for the few 'couples' dances there were. And besides, who wanted to look an absolute fool, coming to the Ball without a queen?

This was what they were discussing when Mungojerrie came up to them. He listened quietly for a moment.

"So I take it you're asking Etcetera?" Tumblebrutus was saying to Admetus. The grey tom made a noncommittal sound.

"Not if I beat him to it," Pouncival snickered.

"Oh, I assumed you were going to ask _Cassandra," _said Tumble, raising an eyebrow. Pounce shrugged.

"Not necessarily. Don't worry, though, Admetus, I wasn't planning to ask Etcetera; you go right ahead." He paused. "I'll probably ask Electra."

"And of course Misto'll take Victoria; that's a no-brainer," said Tumblebrutus. He looked at Plato and sighed. "Looks like we're stuck with Jemima and Cassandra."

"There's nothing wrong with Jemima," Plato protested. "You just say that because she's your sister. And Cassandra's…not _too _bad…she just needs to…get over herself sometimes. Besides, that's not all the queens."

"Who else is there?" Tumble snorted. "Tantomile? Good _luck! _She never goes _anywhere _without her shadow." Tantomile was the queen half of a pair of black-and-white-swirled twins who possessed some sort of psychic or mystic powers. Coricopat was her twin brother. Tumblebrutus wasn't far off the mark when he called him her _shadow; _to see one without the other was a rare thing. "And then…there's Exotica…you know, I don't think I've ever had even a two-word conversation with her." Exotica was a Havana Brown queen. She _was _rather quiet and hard to figure out…but the truth was, no one really tried. Mungojerrie cleared his throat, deciding this was a good time to join the conversation.

"There's…er, there's Teazah," he said. The others turned around to face him; none of them had noticed him standing there.

"Teazer? I'd assumed she was already taken," said Pouncival with a smirk. "Aren't _you _taking her, Jer?"

"Well…maybe I'm not," said Mungojerrie, reddening. "I did las' year. Maybe I want t' take a queen I'm _not _r'lated to this year?"

"Like whom, for instance?" asked Tumblebrutus.

"Well…well…Jemima!" Jerrie blurted out. The others stared at him. He went even redder. He didn't know what made him say Jemima; he'd just said the first name that popped into his head. His intention had been just to ask for advice on queens in general…but he supposed he couldn't humiliate himself any further than he already had. "An' that's why I came ovah here; I dunno th' first _thing_ about askin' out a queen!" For a few moments after his admission, there was silence. Then,

"You've come to the right place!" said Pouncival enthusiastically.

"_Has _he?" asked Tumblebrutus, raising an eyebrow at his brother.

"_Yes," _said the younger tom firmly. "Now, Jerrie, the first thing is _compliments. _Queens love…"

"That's just_ it!" _Admetus blurted out. "You think—_all _of you think—sorry, Plato, but it's true—"

"_What _do 'we' think?" asked Mistoffelees, arms folded.

"You think all queens are the same," said the grey tom in exasperation. "And they're just _not."_

"Oh, that's a load of catnip if I ever heard one," Pouncival snorted.

"No, it's not," Admetus insisted, his face heating up.

"Oh, here it comes," Plato warned the others. "Ad's _deep, _you wouldn't believe it…"

"I'm just sick and tired of hearing 'all queens like such and such', 'if you want to make a queen happy, do blah-blah'…" Admetus stopped to catch his breath. "Would _you _like it if the queens said all _toms _were the same?" Pouncival burst out laughing.

"Where've _you_ been?" he chortled. "That's _exactly _what they say about us!"

"Well, do you like that?" Admetus persisted.

"Don't give a mouse pellet, as long as the queens don't mind," the younger tom shrugged.

"Oh…!" Admetus felt like tearing his headfur out. He turned to Misto, desperate. "You've got a queen, can't _you _understand what I'm talking about?" _Why do I have to be so bad at saying what I'm trying to say! _Maybe he needed an interpreter…

"Yeah…" Mistoffelees nodded slowly. "I think what Adme's getting at is that we should look at the queens as individuals, not just as…a group, I guess. I know Vick would _hate _it if I treated her like 'just any queen.' She's…well, something special."

"Exactly!" cried Admetus. He was _really _getting enthusiastic about this whole thing… "You should ask a queen to the Ball because you see her as something special, not just so you'll have a date or everyone will admire you for going with a certain queen." He turned to Mungojerrie. "Whoever you ask, ask her because you like her for herself, whether it's just as friends, or whatever. Don't just ask for the sake of asking." They all stared at the grey tom for a long, long time. As far as any of them knew, they'd never seen this side of Admetus—though Plato had caught glimpses of it. Finally, Pounce, Tumble, and Misto all wandered off. The brothers had been made uncomfortable by Admetus' speech; Mistoffelees had decided this would be a good time to remind Victoria how _special_ she was to him. Only Plato, Admetus, and Mungojerrie remained.

"Er…er," said Mungojerrie finally, "that's…some good a'vice, A'met's…on'y thing is…Teazah may've 'ad 'er 'eart set on us goin' togethah…wot with our song an' all…"

"You can still sing your song," said Plato, "you just might not have time to go thieving again like last time…And if you're worried about her being alone, well, then…then _I'll _take her!" he blurted out. He gave a sideways glance at Admetus, feeling rather guilty after the whole speech about 'asking a queen because they liked her for herself'. He didn't want Jerrie to think he was just doing him a favor either… "We'd have fun," Plato added quickly. "Teazer's funny, and fun to be with."

"Well…" Mungojerrie hesitated a moment, then shrugged. "Okay. Thanks, Plato! Well…I'd bettah 'elp Teazah sort through th' loot we picked up t'day, b'fore I do anythin' else…" He walked off in the direction of his den, knowing even as he said it, that it was just an excuse to delay asking a queen to the Ball.

"So, are you really going to ask Jemima?" Plato called after him, but Jerrie didn't appear to have heard. The ginger-patched tom shrugged, turning back to Admetus with wide eyes. "Wow…I think that's the most anyone's ever heard you talk!" The grey tom reddened.

"Well, it's just that I'm sick of queens being treated like…like kitty litter," he muttered.

"If I were a queen, I'd rather envy Etcetera," Plato teased. He paused. "You _are _going to ask her, right?"

"I…" Admetus hesitated, then stood up as straight as he possibly could. "Yes," he said determinedly. "I am."


	6. Shocking

_Shocking_

The black and leopard-spotted Maine Coon sauntered along at a leisurely pace, acting as if he were merely out for a stroll, and had no particular destination in mind. But, in fact, he did. He had spotted a certain queen, whom he very much wanted to speak to…First, he glanced behind him to make sure he was alone. He needn't have worried; his little group of 'fan-queens' didn't seem to be as eager to tail him everywhere he went as they'd used to. _But they were probably just busy, _the tom reminded himself quickly. _After all, most of the queens had been distracted ever since his brother's little bundles-of-joy had come. Queens _would _be that way about kittens… _He shook off the nagging possibility that perhaps his fans had outgrown him. _No _one outgrew the Rum Tum Tugger! Especially not that little squeal-box, Etcetera… He brought himself back to the task at hand—er, at paw. Tugger reached up and ruffled his headfur the way he liked it, then fluffed up his mane; he then nonchalantly made his way over to the Tire, where a crimson-and-black queen was sitting. "Hullo there, Bomba," he purred, in that irresistible tone of voice that made queens melt.

"Hello, Tugger," answered Bombalurina with a curt nod.

_Well, it _usually _made queens melt. _The red queen's response had certainly been unexpected, and it took Tugger a moment to recover. But recover he did. "Well…how are you?" he asked, scooting a little closer to her.

"I'm fine, as you can see," she answered in the same abrupt tone, deliberately scooting _away _from the Maine Coon. "Is there something you wanted?"

"It's just…that we haven't spoken in a while," Tugger almost stammered. He couldn't understand Bombalurina's behavior at _all._What had happened to that flirty, playful queen who couldn't keep away from him…?

"No, I suppose we haven't," Bomba acknowledged. "I've been busy."

"Oh, I see." Tugger shook his head in disbelief. "With our little nieces and nephews?" He'd hardly seen her set paw near Demeter's kits since they'd been born. It was rather strange to think that Tugger and Bomba shared relatives…_did that mean they themselves were related?_ The red queen shook her head.

"No. Just busy."

"Ah." Tugger's eyes lit up. "Well, this certainly _is _a busy time of year," he said. "What with the _Jellicle Ball _coming up soon…" Bomba didn't reply. Disappointed, he went on. "And everyone's looking for dates…"

"That they are."

"Including me."

"I'm sure you'll have no trouble. Who's it gonna be? Etcetera?"

"Etcetera?" Tugger laughed. "No, no, I was thinking, someone a bit closer to my age…" He let his voice trail off, hoping Bomba would pick up on his train of thought. She remained silent. "Hey, what's with the long face, anyway?" he asked, giving her a playful tickle under the chin. She drew back, hissing.

"Keep your paws to yourself," she spat. Tugger pulled his paw away as if he'd been burned.

"I just miss your smile, that's all," he said, holding up his paws defensively. "This is no time to be glum. The Ball's coming! Hey, I've got a marvelous idea…" He tapped the side of his head as if he'd only just thought of it. "Supposing we went together?"

"Who?"

"You and me, silly queen!" he laughed. He felt like flicking her on the ear for being so dense, but seeing as how she'd reacted just a moment ago, he figured it would be safer not to. "What d' you say?" Bomba took a moment to answer; she seemed preoccupied with picking something out of her fur… Finally, she looked up.

"Find someone else. I'm sure you've plenty of queens who are positively _dying_ to go with you." With that, she hopped down from the Tire and walked off.

Tugger sat there a moment, stunned. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before, and he really didn't know what to make of it. When if finally registered that he'd been _rejected, _he quickly leapt to his feet and hurried after the red queen. "Oh, I get it!" he called after her. "It's because of last year, right? You know I didn't mean it! It was just part of my dance, I'd _never _drop you just to be mean!" He followed her all the way to her den. Bomba went inside; Tugger wisely stayed out. "Or…has someone else already asked you?" he called in, standing at the door. Who could she possibly have wanted to go with instead of _him? _He waited for an answer, but the only response he got was an old tin can flying out of the den—hitting him square on the nose. Rubbing his tender nose, and completely bewildered, he turned and walked away. "She's just playing hard-to-get," he muttered. "I'll ask her later, she'll be all over me." But for once, he wasn't at all sure. _What happened to Bombalurina?_

_------------_

**Author's Note: **Yes, this chapter is rather short..._  
_


	7. Stressful

_Stressful_

"The same people as last time will be the cockroaches. Demi, Dahlia, Merrilee, and Merlin will be the mice."

"Dear, do you really think that's wise?" Jennyanydots persisted. Munkustrap felt the patience draining out of him.

"Do you know of someone more suitable?" he asked, with an effort to remain calm.

"Well, it's just that the kittens like to…cause trouble. You remember last year, how Pouncival tried to spear me with a fork, and the queen-kits couldn't leave my tail alone?"

"I think I can see to it that my kittens behave, and as Pouncival is no longer a kitten, I should hope _he's _learned to behave himself by now," said Munkustrap, flattening his ears, a bit irritated that Jennyanydots seemed to think he couldn't handle his own kits. "It's only fair that the kittens get to participate; it will be their first Ball, after all."

"Oh, I quite agree. And I wasn't suggesting you were incapable," said the older queen quickly. "It's just…I'd prefer my song to be a bit more…orderly this year." The silver tabby heaved a sigh, but he supposed Jennyanydots was just being a bit obsessive…kind of the way he'd been about his Pekes and Pollicles song. The other toms never failed to remind him of that one and boast about how they'd 'completely and utterly butchered it'. So, Munkustrap supposed he should be a bit more understanding. It was just… he didn't know what Jenny expected of him. They'd done her song the same way for years; it wasn't likely to change. With an inward smile, he recalled a tiny black-and-white who'd been a _particularly _mischievous 'cockroach'.

"I'll do my best," Munkustrap began, but was then interrupted by another queen entering his den. He looked at her in surprise. "What is it, Bomba?"

"We're discussing something, dear," said Jennyanydots. "Can you…" Her eyes lit up as she turned back to Munkustrap. "Perhaps _she_ could be a mouse?"

"Huh?" Bombalurina looked confused for a moment, then shook her head when she realized what her mother was talking about. "No, I'm too big. I thought the kittens were doing that? Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I'm not doing the Gumbiecat this year—I mean the trio." Before either of the other two could say anything, the red queen left as quickly as she'd come. Jenny glared after her daughter.

"Well of all the lazy—!" Munkustrap held up his paws as if to stop her going into a tirade.

"It's no problem, I'm sure Jemima will be happy to do it," he said. But he was at a total loss to understand why Bomba would suddenly decide she didn't want to sing.

"That's not the point," said Jennyanydots irritably. "It's not as though she has another song to get ready for; she's nothing important to do. She's just going to sit about and watch. Out of pure laziness!" She shook her head. "What has gotten _into _that queen lately?" Munkustrap shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "Well," she went on, "about the cockroach dance…"

"Munkustrap?" another voice interrupted. Munkustrap gritted his teeth.

"Yes, Mistoffelees, what is it?"

"I just wanted to remind you," said the tuxedo tom, "that my song is…"

"Right after Skimbleshanks. I know."

"Great! See you later." Misto grinned and walked out of the den. Jennyanydots gave an impatient sniff.

"_As I was saying," _she said, "I think the cockroach dance would be much better if you were one of the cockroaches and sort of led them and…you know…keep them from misbehaving."

"How can I, when I have to sing the solo part?" asked the silver tabby, paws clenched tightly at his sides.

"Well…supposing Tugger did it…"

"Jenny. Can you just _see _him doing the 'leopard spots' bit?" The older queen seemed to consider this for a moment, then made a pained face.

"Yes, dear, I see your point. Then how about Mistoffelees?"

"Jenny…" Munkustrap was on the verge of tearing his headfur out. "May we please just do it the way we always have, and not be making changes a few days before the Ball? I honestly don't think it would make any difference if I was a cockroach. And the kittens will do the mouse job splendidly. It is what it is, and it's fine." Not to mention he rather _enjoyed _his solo. Jennyanydots opened her mouth to say more, but then closed it. Perhaps she'd realized Munkustrap was about to lose it.

"All right then," she said briskly, turning to leave. "Perhaps next year…" Munkustrap sighed with relief when she had gone. He lay back on the mattress that he'd found some time ago in a pile of junk. This time of year was supposed to be _exciting. _For most of the other cats, it was. So why'd it always turn out to be one big stress-out for Munkustrap? He turned over onto his side, facing the wall. Maybe if anyone came by, they'd think he was napping and leave him alone…

"Munkus?"

_Or…maybe not._The silver tabby sat up and turned around to see his half-brother. "What do you want, Tugger?" he asked wearily.

"I just, uh…wanted to let you know…I'm not gonna do my song this year. So if someone else wants to do…"

"You're _what?"_ Munkustrap interrupted, staring at the Maine Coon in undisguised astonishment.

"Not going to do my song," Tugger repeated. "I just…" He shrugged his shoulders. "I just can't this year. See ya." And he left, his brother staring after him.

_Tugger not doing his song._

_Bomba not doing the trio._

_Maybe they planned to run away together? _

"Munk'tap?"_ Now what! _ This time it was Mungojerrie.

"What?" asked Munkustrap, more sharply than he'd meant to. The ginger-and-black tabby shuffled his feet awkwardly.

"Er. I wos jus' wonderin'…I got this song…fer th' Ball…"

"Fine, you can do it after the Gumbiecat." Mungo looked puzzled.

"But that's—"

"Tugger's not doing his song. So you can do yours instead. And you and Teazer still have your song after Bustopher Jones."

"Oh." Mungojerrie looked more confused than ever, but managed a lopsided grin. "Well, er—a'right, then, thanks." And off he went. _Jerrie was into composing songs now?_ Munkustrap started to lie back down, then changed his mind. Knowing his luck today…

"Munkustrap?" The silver tabby was on his feet immediately when he saw Alonzo.

"What is it?" he asked worriedly. "Did you see something on your patrol?...Is _he _here—?"

"No, no, nothing like that," the black-and-white hastened to assure him. "It's just…about the Ball…"

"Oh." Of course. "Well, what?"

"Well I know you didn't get to do much dancing last year…and I feel bad about that, because you probably could have if someone else did their share of sitting with Deuteronomy…"

"I don't do it out of duty, he _is _my father, you know," said Munkustrap, ever-so-slightly annoyed with Alonzo.

"Oh, I know," said the black-and-white quickly. "But still. It wasn't fair that you didn't get to dance much. So if you want, I could take your place…particularly during the big climax dance." Munkustrap raised his eyebrows.

"Really? And what about you?" Alonzo merely shrugged. "Well…thanks, 'Lonzo, I just might take you up on that." Alonzo nodded, and having said his piece, left the den. The silver tabby stood there for a while, watching in dread to see if other cats would come pester him.

When some time had passed with no one coming, Munkustrap deemed it safe to lie down on the mattress again. _Bomba not singing, Tugger not singing, Mungo making up songs, Alonzo not dancing… _With these thoughts chasing each other around in his head, he fell asleep.

------------

He was awakened sometime later by Demeter and the kittens—his mate had tried in vain to keep them quiet. "Daddy!" squealed the two youngest, flinging themselves onto him. Hugging them, Munkustrap looked up at the two older kittens, who wore identical scowls. He looked questioningly at Demeter.

"They didn't have the best of days," explained the gold queen.

"We had to clean out Jelly's den," said Merrilee, kicking at the wall.

"And _then _we had to clean out Skimble and Jenny's den," added Merlin.

"And clear the dancing area for the Ball," finished Merrilee in exasperation. "Which isn't for another five days!"

"Well, _that'll_ teach you to give cheek to your elders," said their father sternly.

"It'll be our first ball!" squealed Dahlia, tugging on Munkustrap's paw.

"Isn't it e'citing, Dad?" added Demetrius. Munkustrap forced a smile and a nod. It would certainly be _something; _whether _exciting _was the word to use…well, that remained to be seen.


	8. All Fun and Games

_All Fun and Games_

"Wot's that yer 'ummin', Jerrie?" the tabby queen mumbled sleepily. Mungojerrie stopped mid-hum and glanced apprehensively over at Percival—who was, thank Heaviside! already snoring in his corner of the den.

"Oh…nuthin'," Mungo muttered, turning over on his pile of blankets to face the wall.

"Don' gimme that," Rumpelteazer growled, sitting up and narrowing her eyes at him. "Y've been singin' under yer breath with a goofy grin on yer face since ya came back fr'm talkin' with yer friends."

"'Ave not," he lied.

"C'mon, Jerrie, y'can't hide anythin' from me. If _yew _don' tell me wot it's about, I'll still fin' out some'ow."

"An' so y'will. Jus' not now. G'night," Jerrie finished, scrunching his eyes shut and waiting for the outburst. Surprisingly, none came. He opened one eye to glance over at his sister, who was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling—and being quiet. Amazing! She was actually leaving him alone about it!

Not that Mungojerrie had anything to hide; not really. It was just something he didn't want to tell Teazer _yet; _not until he knew for sure Plato had (successfully) asked her to the Ball. Mungo _had _had a silly grin on his face all evening. Who wouldn't? He was going to the Ball with (in his opinion) the sweetest, most beautiful queen in the Junkyard. _Him! He _had asked a queen to the Ball; and she'd said _yes! _He sighed happily, drifting off to sleep with thoughts of dancing with Jemima in his arms.

------------

"Now, Mungo," said Munkustrap firmly, _"remember! _Teazer says the first 'bark'."

"I knew tha'," said Mungojerrie, unable to resist rolling his eyes. "An' then I say 'bark.'"

"And then Teazer says another 'bark'," Munkustrap continued. Mungojerrie nodded impatiently. "And then you say 'bark'. _One _bark. _Not_'bark, bark'. _You _say one 'bark,' then _Teazer_ says the next bark. You _keep _going back and forth. It does _not _change." Munkustrap spoke very slowly and clearly, trying to pound understanding into Mungojerrie.

"If he's this dumb," Pouncival muttered to his brother, from where they were awaiting their turn to go on, "I wonder why Munk doesn't just get someone else to do it."

"Maybe because they mess up the funniest," Tumblebrutus shrugged.

Munkustrap had insisted upon all the cats participating in an all-day (or until they got it right) practice of their reenactment of "The Aweful Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles". It was a _disaster _last year, he said. They had totally humiliated themselves in front of Old Deuteronomy! _More like they had all conspired to humiliate_ Munkustrap _in front of Old Deuteronomy. _They _had _to get it right this year! Plus, he had to teach it to the younger cats who'd not done it before. Consequently, they had already spent the entire morning 'perfecting' it. They had not gotten very far. They kept getting stuck on Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer's part.

"All right, let's see it," said Munkustrap. He cleared his throat and started the song where the twins came in. _"And no-one at all was about on the street, when a Peke and a Pollicle happened to meet." _ Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer jumped out on cue and faced each other. _"They did not advance, or exactly retreat, but they glared at each other and scraped their hind feet."_

"Here we go," Mistoffelees muttered from where he stood next to Skimbleshanks, lined up with the rest of the toms, a.k.a. the Pollicles (with the exception of Admetus, who was, once again, playing the Rumpus cat). Munkustrap went on.

"_And started to—"_

"Bark!" cried Rumpelteazer.

"Bark!" responded Mungojerrie.

"Bark!"

"Bark! Bark!"

"Bark…" Rumpelteazer shook her head dolefully. _"No, _Jerrie, ya stole _my _bark again!" Mungojerrie reddened.

"Sorry," he stammered. "It's jus' an 'abit, that's all! I'll get it righ', I promise!"

"Yeah," snorted Merlin from behind him, "maybe by the time _I've _had as many wives as my Granddad!" Munkustrap gave him a reproachful look. "Well, it's true!" Merlin protested. "You must've gone over it a _zillion _times, and it's still not right! We've been standing here all morning!"

"And I'm_ hungry," _Dahlia whined.

"All right, all right," said their father, with a weary shake of the head. "Everyone…take a break…find some food…then come back. Maybe that's it, maybe we're all just hungry and irritable." They all dispersed, going off to either dig in junk piles for scraps, or to hunt mice.

Rumpelteazer had decided to go back to her and Jerrie's den to fetch some of the food they'd nicked the day before. Mungojerrie began to follow, but stopped when he noticed Plato striding nervously—but purposefully—towards Teazer. Realization immediately dawned on the tiger-striped tom, and he turned and went in the opposite direction. Mice would suit him just fine.

------------

"So," said Pouncival, trotting to catch up to his older brother, "you asked someone to the Ball yet?"

"Have _you?"_ the other tom returned, instead of answering the question.

"Yup." Pounce nodded smugly. "It's all settled, Electra's goin' with me. She even seemed _excited _about it."

"Nice," said Tumblebrutus with a curt nod.

"So, _have _you asked someone?" Pouncival persisted.

"Would you buzz off?" growled the older tom irritably. "Why don't you go annoy your friend Percival?"

"Because he's asking Merrilee to the Ball, and I _promised _not to interrupt." The striped-and-patched tom grinned. "So I take it you _haven't?"_

"What's it to you?" Tumblebrutus landed a mouse and began to eat it.

"Well, in case you didn't know, the Ball's only a few days away…and the longer you wait, the less likely you'll be to get a queen."

"Maybe I'm still not sure who to ask," Tumble muttered. Pouncival tapped his chin in thought.

"Etcetera?" he suggested. Tumblebrutus glared at him.

"You think I'm _that_ big of a mouse's tail, that I'd do that to Adme?"

"Okay, okay," Pounce held up his paws, "I was just joking! Cassandra…"

"Yeah, right," Tumble snorted. _"Plato _can have her."

"How very generous of you. Exotica? Tantomile?"

"No and no."

"You're obviously not that desperate, if you're being so picky," said Pounce with a shake of his head.

"Well I'm not quite so desperate that I don't want to still try and get a queen that I actually _like," _growled Tumble.

"Well, there's only one queen left: Rumpelteazer. Unless you want to take baby Dahlia—which I wouldn't advise trying. Her dad'd rip your head off."

"Yeah…she's…not bad," Tumblebrutus admitted.

"Who?" Pounce snickered. "Dahlia?"

"No, dolt, Teazer."

"So what's keeping you?"

"Well…would Mungojerrie, like, clobber me?"

"You're_ scared!" _Pouncival burst into peals of uproarious laughter. "Now we come to the bottom of it!" he chortled. "You're _scared! _Mungo's gonna ask Jemima, remember? If he hasn't already…" He doubled over, sniggering. "Scared."

"I am _not_ scared," Tumblebrutus snarled.

"Yeah? Prove it."

"Fine!" Without further ado, Tumblebrutus hurried off in the direction that Rumpelteazer had gone, tossing the skeleton of his mouse behind him.

------------

Plato had almost reached her. The ginger-patched tom took deep breaths, reminding himself what he was going to say. _C'mon, you made it sound so easy when you were talking to Jerrie! _But supposing she said no?_ Well, so what? _Well, she wasn't the kind of queen who'd be fussed about making a scene. Supposing she totally chewed him out? _That _would be humiliating! He'd never live it down—_Idiot, just _do _it! _"Fine," he muttered. He took one last deep breath before walking towards the golden-brown tabby, who'd brought the sack of loot out of her den and was digging through it. Just as he was opening his mouth to speak, a brown-and-white blur rushed past him.

------------

"Teazer—hey, Teazer!" Tumblebrutus practically screamed. When the queen looked up in confusion, he reddened. "I mean—hey, Teazer," he said in a normal voice.

"Yes…?" asked Rumpelteazer, looking as if she was trying very hard not to laugh. This unnerved Tumble for a moment.

"Er—would you—that is—I mean…"

"Er…sorry, what?" Teazer looked at the tom in confusion.

"Sorry." _Just_ say _it. _"You wannamegowiball?"

"Is tha' English?" Teazer giggled. "An' I though' me an' Jerrie wos the ones wot couldn' talk proper."

"Would. You. Like. To. Go. To. The. Ball. With. Me?"

"Oh!" The queen looked startled for a moment; then a grin spread across her face. "Well…really?" Tumble nodded, not trusting his voice just then. "Well—well…" She tried to think of a single reason to refuse, and came up with none. "Well, sure!"

"Great!" Tumblebrutus smiled widely. "See ya!" And he ran off before she could change her mind.

Rumpelteazer watched until the tom was out of sight, before letting out a whoop. She'd actually been asked to the Ball! _Her! _She rolled around, giggling. Maybe she _was _pretty; a bit, anyway. Nothing extraordinary like Victoria or Jemima, but enough that Tumble wanted to take her to the Ball. Just wait'll she told Jerrie—! _Wait. _Why should she? She recalled the night before; there was something Jerrie was keeping from her. Well, fine then—she wasn't going to tell _him _that she got asked to the Ball. If he didn't find out and ended up going alone—well, too bad for him. _Humph._

_-------------- _

When Tumble ran off, Plato followed. Catching up to the other tom, Plato grabbed his arm to stop him. Tumblebrutus turned around, frowning. "Do you mind…?"

"What'd you just say to Teazer?" Plato panted.

"Asked her to the Ball, of course!" Tumble laughed. "I _did _it!" Plato was silent. Tumble looked searchingly into his face, until realization dawned on him. "Oh. _You _were going to ask her, weren't you? Sorry…" And he really did look sorry; just a_ little. _Then his face brightened again. "But, snooze, you lose. Well, it's probably almost time to start practice again." He walked off, calling over his shoulder, "There's always Cassandra!"

"Thanks, pal," Plato growled. This day was not going at all as he'd planned.


	9. Spy

_Spy_

The white-and-black-flecked kit shifted uncomfortably in her hiding place. Flicking her tail impatiently, she awaited her leader's signal. It was beginning to seem like she'd been forgotten. Was she meant to hide here all day? Had they forgotten that she had to _eat, _like any cat? Perhaps this was all a trick, perhaps there _was _no mission and they only wanted to be rid of her! _**Patience, Falden. **_The queen-kit winced. Macavity had long since mastered the ability to speak inside his henchcats' minds at will, but it still made her uneasy. He had taught his henches how to 'mind-speak' back to him, but they, unlike him, could only speak their piece, get his response, and were somehow pushed out of his mind. Whereas he—and this was the part Falden hated—could reach deep into their minds and sense their true thoughts and feelings. Macavity had clearly been 'listening in' on the queen's complaints.

_**Yes, Macavity, Sir, **_Falden thought back to him, with an effort to clear her mind of anything she wouldn't want him to know.

_**The right time will come.**_

_**Can you tell what's going on where I am, Sir? **_she asked, purely out of curiosity.

_**I've no trouble at all, since you think about all that you're seeing. **_His voice…or thought-voice… seemed to be laughing. _**But you are right to do so, **_he added. _**My cats must be clever, able to think. Brute strength isn't everything. Even your brother Fangorn knows that.**_

_**I daresay he does, **_Falden acknowledged. She tried with all her might not to think mutinously about Macavity's invading her mind. This was not a good time to get in trouble. Her completion of this mission could very well put her and her family in higher standing with their leader. Higher henchcats were better taken care of. _**Very well, Sir, I'll continue watching…and thinking…shall I?**_

_**Do so. But if you're hungry, by all means catch a mouse—if you can do so quietly. There is hardly a shortage of mice in the junkyard. **_The communication 'link' severed—Falden couldn't explain how she could tell; she just knew it had. However, she sensed something 'extra' in the back of her mind. She knew Macavity was still there, monitoring her every thought. She just couldn't speak to him. "Well…all right then," she muttered. Hearing a scuffling noise nearby, she decided to avail herself of Macavity's permission. But just as she was about to snatch the mouse with her claws, she heard voices coming towards her hiding place. With a sigh, she turned to see what was happening. Macavity would want to hear this; lunch would have to wait.

------------

"Who _is _it?" Tugger persisted, trying hard not to sound desperate. Cassandra gave a bored yawn, stopping to lean against the old car.

"Why does it matter?" she asked, taking hold of her tail and seeming to study it. "I can't go with you, and that's that."

"I just don't know why it's such a big _secret." _

"I just don't know why it's any of your _business." _

"It—" Tugger paused, trying to think of a reason that it would be his business. He came up with nil. "But what am I supposed to _do?" _He sounded on the verge of tears. Cassandra turned to stare at him. The Rum Tum Tugger. Was the Rum Tum Tugger seriously going to _cry?_ What a sight _that _would be!

He controlled himself. Sort of. "I mean, there's no queens left!"

"Hogwash. You're forgetting Zotti. But then, _everyone _forgets Zotti." She glared at the Maine Coon, as if blaming him for Exotica's often being overlooked. Strangely enough, the snobby Siamese was the one who spent the most time with the Havana Brown. The way Cassandra treated virtually everyone else, one would think that she would completely ignore Exotica's existence.

But the Tugger wasn't thinking about any of that. Nor did he hear when Cassandra noted that Tantomile, and possibly Etcetera, was still available as well. He'd stopped listening as soon as Cassandra mentioned Exotica's name. _Exotica…yes, to be sure, I did forget Exotica…pretty queen, that…Not full of it like that Cassie…_ (That was perhaps the most hypocritical thought that had ever entered Tugger's head.)While Cassandra was still talking, he wandered off in search of the Havana Brown, leaving the Siamese to glare after him.

------------

Falden sniggered quietly, rather amused by the nutty tom. _**Sir, **_she asked, feeling the connection with her leader restored, _**do you know them? Are they of any importance?**_

_**They may be, later. When we see how this all plays out. **_Macavity paused._**Ah, yes, Tugger, **_he resumed, sounding as if he'd just had a chuckle himself. _**Half-brother of mine. Always did have a way with queens. As for that particular queen, she was always quite the heartbreaker. **_Falden thought she detected a sneer in his…thought-voice. _**Yes, they may prove useful, **_he continued thoughtfully. _**Very well, keep watching. **_He seemed to hear the hench-kit's sigh and impatient thoughts before she even sighed the sigh or thought the thoughts. _**Patience, **_he repeated. _**Have a mouse. I have a feeling it will be soon. **_The mind-link faded once more. But as before, Falden could feel that Macavity had not left completely.

Once more, she waited for a mouse to run by—though she still kept one eye on the Siamese, until, most likely out of boredom, Cassandra left. Falden snatched a mouse up in her claws and ate it. This time she was uninterrupted. _Patience is a virtue, _she thought with a wry face.

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**Author's Note: **Another semi-short chapter, just wanted to (finally!) bring in my ickle spy. Mwahaha. ;)


	10. Stranger

_Stranger_

The others were gathering to start practice again. The ginger tom had no intention of joining them. Percival slumped against the old car, after giving it an irritable kick. Well, so much for _that _idea. It wasn't so much that Merrilee wasn't going to the Ball with him; after all, he didn't like her _that _way, he'd only meant them to go as friends. It was that he now feared he'd be going _alone, _and Pouncival would never let him hear the end of it. Not that that bothered him; not _really. But still…_

He scowled. It wasn't because Merri had rejected him, either; on the contrary, she'd seemed surprised (but pleased), saying how much fun they'd have, this being their first Ball, and…well, you catch the drift. But then Demeter showed up. _Why do parents have a way of doing that? _Not that he knew what parents were like, but from what Pounce had told him… Anyway, Demeter, apparently having heard the whole thing, had said firmly that they were _both too young, _and after giving Perci a disapproving glance, had led her daughter away. The two young cats had exchanged an exasperated look.

_Too young, my whisker. _Okay, maybe Merrilee was too young, _maybe. _But Perci wasn't. He was nearly a cat, not much younger than Pounce, and he hadn't seen _Pounce _getting flamed for asking Electra.

_But Electra and Pounce aren't half-siblings. _Was that it? But it was just the Jellicle Ball, for Heaviside's sake! _Everyone _had dates to the Ball, right? It wasn't as if they'd declared themselves mates or something.

Demeter must be paranoid, he decided. And who wouldn't be? What an idiot he'd been, not to think of it. _Oh, catnip. _He should've just asked if he and his half-siblings could _all _go together. Then Demeter probably wouldn't have minded. Now he was stuck, he'd probably end up tagging along with Pounce and Electra, and _no _one would ever leave him alone about that… _Being the son of an insane, evil tom who wants to kill all your friends—it positively rots._

_------------ _

Falden watched her kittenhood playmate. She'd been the only one, out of all the other kits (all of whom were queens), who could beat Perci at a wrestling match. And she was the _youngest, _too. That always made Perce _sooo _mad… which was what she loved. Her mission in life had been to discover what made him angriest. So far, his given nickname of Ci-Ci was the record. She hadn't been able to test anything else out. He'd disappeared. No one had told her where he'd gone. Now she knew. Her ears reddened in anger. _So he'd gone off to join the enemy, didn't so much as _think_ of me. Oh, yes, annoying little Denni, it was probably a relief to get away._

Macavity's voice snapped her back to attention. _**No time to waste feeling sorry for yourself; you have a job to do, **_he snapped, making Falden blush violently. He'd _heard _all that. Still, he sounded angrier than he should be, and Falden wondered if he'd heard something in Perci's mind that had him riled. But she knew better than to ask questions.

_**Yes, Sir,**_ she thought sullenly.

_**Time to show your stuff. Remember what you have to do?**_

_**Yes, Sir. **_She hesitated.

_**I won't take anything you say personally, **_Macavity said, reading her mind again. _**From here on, you positively hate my guts. Got that?**_

_**Yes. Sir. **__Just give her feathers and call her a parrot._

_**Go. I'll check back in with you later. **_This time, he left her mind altogether. She gulped. She'd been waiting impatiently for this all morning, and now was she getting cold paws?

Of course she wasn't. Her jaw set in determination, she started to leave her hiding place—

And stopped. She couldn't go out looking like _that, _she was supposed to be frantic. Reaching up, she frizzled her headfur a bit, then tried to give all her fur a 'sponged-out' look. She was now, to all appearances, a frightened kit who'd been running about, hopelessly lost, for days.

_Now _she was ready.

------------

Sitting around being sullen was getting him nowhere, Percival grudgingly admitted to himself. He'd only get in trouble for it; and Munkustrap would_ make _him do the Pekes and Pollicles one way or another. _Might's well go of his own free will. _He stood up to leave. Suddenly, he was hit full force by a blur of black and white. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!" He let out a yell that probably echoed off Big Ben.

His first thought, as he was knocked off his feet, was _Alonzo? _But no…Alonzo was _bigger _than this…

"Ci-Ci!" the cat screeched. _Oh. And Alonzo was a _tom… Percival stared at the queen on top of him. Who _was _she? Who would know his hated nickname…? _Unless the twins thought it'd be funny to go around blurting it to everyone… _Well, the first order of business was…

"Get off me!" he grunted, shoving the queen off him (gently; she _was _a queen, after all). He looked at the queen, more confused than ever. He could now see that she was a kitten; and she was _definitely _not from the Junkyard. From the looks of her, she wasn't from_ anywhere—_or hadn't been, for a while. And yet, she looked familiar… "Are…are you lost?" he asked, unable to think of anything else to say. He thought of calling for Munkustrap, but honestly, what was this kitten going to do to him? Munkustrap might show up anyway—_everyone _might show up—seeing as Perce had just screamed bloody murder…

"You don't _remember _me!" exclaimed the queen-kit indignantly. "But _I_ remember _you, _Ci-Ci," and she pinned him to the floor again before he could react. "But I guess you didn't like me very much, anyway. I was just an annoyance. Oh, how you _hated_ wrestling me!" And she grinned at him with wicked, kittenish delight. _Wrestling…Ci-Ci…What! _

"Denni!" Perci forced her off him again, and backed up. He looked around, trying not to panic. Thankfully, no one was coming. They'd either not heard his cry, or were ignoring it. He turned back to the queen, narrowing his eyes. "What are you _doing _here?" he hissed.

"What are _you _doing here?" Falden demanded, slapping at his face—and missing. Tears welled up in her eyes. "You _left. _How _could _you?"

"We _all _had to leave," he reminded her, trying to ignore the guilt that threatened to choke him. "The building collapsed. Remember?"

"And you just ran off."

"I never belonged there. You know that."

"But you didn't even come back for _me._ I would've come with you. Don't you know the _only _reason I stayed with Macavity's gang was because _you _were there? You left me alone with that bunch of mad cats and didn't even _care." _Her voice rose with every word until she was sobbing loudly. "And—all this time—I thought you were _dead!"_

"Please don't cry!" Perci pleaded, looking around anxiously. "Someone'll hear you."

"So?" She fixed him with the stubborn glare that she had used so often to get what she wanted. "What's wrong, do you not want them to know I'm here? Do _you _not want me here?"

"Well—I—don't…" He let his voice trail off. What could he do? Was she implying that she'd come here hoping to stay? In a way, the thought excited him. She _had _been his best friend, even though neither of them would ever say so. But she was one of Macavity's. The others would never agree to it…. How did he know this wasn't all a trick?

Was _that _how the Jellicles felt when _he'd _joined? And _he'd _not only been in Macavity's Tribe, he was Macavity's _son. _He definitely knew what it was like not to be trusted. Why should Falden have to go through that?

"I understand," Falden sighed, breaking into his thoughts. "It's because of Macavity. But how did _you _ever get to join, then?"

"I…that was a…special…case." But Percival had already decided what he was going to do. "Listen…Denni…" The queen's ears pricked up. "If you want to stay…you have to listen carefully and do exactly as I tell you…"

Falden leaned in to listen, fighting the urge to laugh. _This was far too easy! _


	11. Suspicions

_Suspicions_

"Bark," panted Rumpelteazer.

"Bark," croaked Mungojerrie.

"Bark."

"Bark—" Rumpelteazer kicked her brother in the shin as hard as she could.

"Bark!" she yowled. If Mungo _had _'stolen' her 'bark' again, no one heard him. The tiger tom's eyes widened triumphantly.

"Bark!" he cried with renewed vigor.

"Bark!"

"Bark!" A look of utter relief appeared on Munkustrap's face.

"_Until you could hear them all over the park," _he finished. "Good. We got it."

"Would y' like us to do it jus' once more?" asked Rumpelteazer, her eyes glinting mischievously. Everyone exclaimed, almost simultaneously,

"_No!" _

"Well, good," she giggled, "'cause I wouldn' do it again fer all the catnip in th' world!" Munkustrap glared slightly at the tabby queen. "Until th' Ball, I mean," she added quickly.

"So, what now?" yawned Etcetera from her place in line. She enjoyed the reenactment, she really did, but it was rather tiring having to hear the beginning…countless numbers of times…

"Well, the whole thing in general could really use some polish," Munkustrap informed them all. "But I'd say the parts we especially need to work on now are your marching," with a pointed glance at the toms, "and _your _bagpipe playing," he concluded, glancing around for his half-brother. When the Maine Coon was nowhere to be seen, Munkustrap frowned around at the others. "Has anyone seen Tugger?"

"I saw him a bit ago," said Cassandra in a bored tone. "He was looking for Zotti." She nodded to the Havana Brown, who was standing beside her. "But she's right here, so if he's still looking for her, well, he's on a wild-goose chase."

"He was looking for _me?" _Exotica hissed in the other queen's ear.

"I'll explain later," Cass murmured back to her. "If Tugger doesn't first." Zotti's eyes shone with excitement. Munkustrap made an impatient sound.

"I _told _everyone to come back here," he said in annoyance. "I haven't seen Plato or Perci either, for that matter. It's a bit difficult to practice without everyone here."

"You didn't say exactly _when _they had to come back," said Demeter reasonably. "They probably didn't realize." Munkustrap sighed. He'd promised himself he wouldn't get worked up about the whole thing, but here he was, getting more stressed than he'd been last year.

"Would someone be good enough to go find them?" he asked, with an effort to speak lightly.

"I will," Pouncival volunteered. _Anything _to get away from those infernal _barks _for a little while…

"No need," said Coricopat.

"Here they come," Tantomile announced. All heads turned in the direction the twins pointed.

"Oh, so you just saw them before everyone else," laughed Merlin, winking at Coricopat. "I thought you were using your mystic…" He fell silent at his father's stern glance.

"In any case, they're coming," said Munkustrap.

"Hey!" exclaimed Alonzo. "Who's that with them?" Percival was following Tugger, who was walking alongside Plato. Plato was half-dragging a kitten along by the scruff.

* * *

No one thought of practicing now. Everyone started talking at once, crowding around the three toms and the queen-kit.

"What've we here?"

"What's it_ look _like?"

"The question is _who?" _

"Spy, I'd wager!"

"You and your stupid suspicion! She's probably just lost."

"Sure, and she just _happened _to end up here."

"Well, we—"

"_Quiet!"_ yowled one voice above all the others. They all stopped talking and turned to stare at Demeter. She glared around at all of them. "How are we supposed to find out _anything _if you're all chattering like a flock of magpies?" Most of the cats looked embarrassed, and they backed off from Plato. Turning to him, Demeter asked calmly, "Now, can you please explain what's going on here?" Munkustrap turned away so as not to be caught laughing. He couldn't help it, when his mate got bossy like Jelly or Jenny… He cleared his throat and turned back around.

"Yes," he agreed, "please explain yourselves." To his surprise, Plato and Tugger looked expectantly to Percival. Perci looked at them, then at Munkustrap.

"Er…well," the ginger tom stammered, "I… uh, found her. Her name's Falden."

"I _can _speak for myself, y'know," said Falden irritably. "An' would you _mind _not digging your claws into me neck?" she asked Plato. The ginger-patched tom let go her scruff, but kept a paw on her shoulder.

"Very well, then," said Munkustrap, folding his arms and turning to the queen. "Speak for yourself."

"I was looking for food," Falden explained. "I live on the streets an' food's been hard to come by lately…"

"You live by_ yourself?" _Pouncival interrupted. "You're just a kit!" Skimbleshanks silenced him.

"Not everyone's lucky enough to have parents," Falden glared at him. "Bet _you've _never known what it means to be hungry." She turned back to Munkustrap. "I thought a dump like this would be abundant in garbage, mice, and rats, so I came to investigate. Didn't know anyone _lived _here. Nice place, though."

"I said we could ask if she could stay," Perci interjected.

"_I _said that that was unnecessary," said the black-and-white queen, rolling her eyes. "But that's my story. Can I go now?"

"But the streets aren't safe," Perci objected. "You'd be protected here…"

"I've made it this long. I'm not soft. I'll be fine."

"But…"

"Hold up a bit, there," interrupted Plato. "Shouldn't there be a bit of discussion before we let her do _anything—_leave _or _stay?" He looked expectantly to Munkustrap.

"I should think so," said Alonzo. "We can't just let a random cat in here; even if she _is _just a kitten," he added, rolling his eyes in the direction of the queens. "And we can't just let her go. For all we know, she could be a spy." He didn't say 'for Macavity', but the implication rang clear in the air. "Munk, we can't just…" Munkustrap held up a paw.

"You don't have to convince me; I agree." He looked to the elders for advice. "What do you suppose…?"

"I personally don't understand why you're all so afraid of a kitten," sniffed Jennyanydots. "There's plenty of orphaned kittens about; why shouldn't she be one?"

"We can't assume anything, dear," said Skimble gently. "You know that."

"Perhaps we can let her stay, but have someone in charge of watching her," suggested Jellylorum.

"What we _really _need," said Asparagus, "is to be able to find out for certain if she's telling the truth…" Admetus' head snapped up towards him.

"That's _it!"_ he exclaimed. Everyone turned to stare at him. "Er…that is…" he mumbled, reddening. "Coricopat and Tantomile…" He trailed off. Plato's eyes widened as he realized what his friend was getting at.

"Of _course! _Why didn't _I _think of that?" Tugger stared at him.

"Are you saying what I _think _you're saying…?"

"Well, what's the use of their being psychic if they don't use their powers?" Plato retorted. Munkustrap looked at him uncertainly.

"So you think they should…"

"…Look inside the kit's mind," Coricopat finished, suddenly beside him.

"No," said Tantomile from his other side, "it wouldn't be right." Coricopat looked at her.

"But if it's the only way…"

"No one should be allowed to invade another's mind," interrupted Tantomile. "Her mind is her own. It's not our place."

"And what about your invasion of _my _mind?" Coricopat's eyes twinkled.

"This is no laughing matter," said his sister fiercely. "That's different. I'd know what you're thinking anyway, and you'd know what I'm thinking. We couldn't help that, even if we tried, and you know it." The twins suddenly fell silent, though they still looked at each other. Apparently, they were continuing their argument telepathically. The others, not knowing what else to do, stood watching and waiting.

"So is this how things work around here?" Falden muttered to Perci.

"Pretty much," shrugged the tom. "They're just paranoid; they've not felt able to trust anyone since Macavity's attacks. I'm not sure if they were paranoid before."

"So…I might have to have my mind looked at?" She tried to keep her voice casual, but inwardly she was panicking. If they saw her mind, she was lost… All at once, her leader's voice cut across her thoughts. _**Get a-hold of yourself before those twins sense something! Don't you think I anticipated this? I've got it all worked out. Keep calm. **_Falden took deep breaths and tried to obey.

"All right," said Coricopat suddenly. "We'll do it…"

"_He'll _do it," Tantomile corrected, turning away. "I don't like it…but I suppose we've no other option." It was so strange to have the twins not be in total agreement about something.

"I don't much like it either," said Coricopat pointedly. "But it would seem that it's got to be done." He looked at Falden. "But you have to _let _me."

"Er…what do you mean?" the kit asked, shifting nervously.

"I'm not going to _hurt _you," he assured her. "I just mean…you have to…try not to think about anything. Just keep your mind blank. It'll feel like you…have a little…person inside your head. That's all. It won't take but a few minutes."

"Oh." As if she didn't already know what _that _was like. Speaking of a person inside her head… _**Just do as he says, **_came her leader's voice. _**I will handle this. **_She hoped he was right.

"Ready?" asked Coricopat. Falden nodded. She tried to make blankness fill her mind. She pictured white nothingness. All at once, she felt the presence of another cat; the same sort of thing she felt when Macavity spoke to her…only this presence was considerably…softer. Then she felt Macavity's presence, but it was as if he and Coricopat were separated by an invisible wall. She hoped desperately that Macavity knew what he was doing; what if Coricopat sensed him…? Nothing seemed to happen for a moment; then images started flashing through her mind. They were going rather quickly, but she could see what they were. And they bewildered her. She recognized herself and her brother in the earlier ones, together with two cats she _didn't _recognize. Then she saw Macavity's face, though it must have been when he was slightly younger. The pictures slowed down. Now the cats in them moved, as if someone had installed a human's television in her mind. She saw herself and Fangorn again, outside a place she didn't recognize. She saw the two cats she didn't know. Then the unmistakable form of Macavity going in for a kill. All at once the pictures disappeared, and she heard the sound of wailing kits.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Please let me know if that last bit was too confusing. I'm not so great at describing what goes on in people's minds!


	12. All's Well?

_All's Well?_

Coricopat pulled himself out of the kit's mind. All eyes turned questioningly towards him. "She…doesn't mean any harm," he said with difficulty. "And she has nothing to do with Macavity." He turned away, and he and his sister left without another word. _**I'm sorry, **_Tantomile said in her brother's mind.

_**If I never have to see someone else's memories again… **_Coricopat gritted his teeth. _**It'll be too soon.**_

* * *

_**  
**_

A short silence followed the twins' departure. "Well," Munkustrap said, his voice strangely subdued, "I suppose… let's be finished with practice for today." Everycat left for his den, though it was nowhere near dark. But after all, there's no bad time for a catnap… Now only Munkustrap, Alonzo, and the elders remained, with Falden and Perci. (The kittens and more inquisitive cats would have stayed, except Demeter made sure to clear the area of them.)

"So…it's all okay, then? She can stay?" Percival looked up entreatingly at the older cats.

"She can stay or leave, as she pleases," said Munkustrap. Alonzo was still not convinced.

"How can we be sure…?"

"Cori's a_ mystic, _Alonzo," Munkustrap interrupted. The black-and-white bit his lip and didn't say anymore. That was good enough for Perci.

"C'mon," said the ginger tom-kit, walking off and motioning for Falden to follow. "If you don't want to stay, I can at least show you around…" The queen-kit followed as if in a daze, still confused by what she'd seen.

The older cats watched the kittens go. No one made a move to stop them. No one said anything, but looked at each other, all sharing the same thought that no one spoke aloud: _Coricopat had better be right about this._

* * *

"See?" said Percival lightly, as they walked along, "that wasn't _so _bad…right?" Falden nodded absently. _**What **_**was **_**that? **_she asked, hoping her leader was still there—and that he would explain what had happened. Those memories certainly weren't _hers. _Or maybe she was going crazy and now no longer knew what was in her own mind?

_**Simple, **_she heard Macavity's voice, ever matter-of-fact. _**I blocked your mind with false images.**_

_**None of it was real?**_

_**Well, obviously you and Fangorn are real. **_

_**But those other cats?**_

_**Were meant to be your parents.**_

_**But my mum is…**_

_**Alive and well, naturally. That is why they were **_**false **_**images.**_

_**And Coricopat couldn't sense that?**_

_**Those twins, **_now his voice was sneering, _**are not nearly as strong as they think they are. I have learned things about the mind that they have never even dreamed of.**_

So as far as Coricopat knew, Macavity had killed her parents. Falden couldn't help shuddering.

_**Take care. You know that it isn't true. **_Falden jumped slightly. She'd forgotten he could sense her thoughts…

_**Yes, Sir, I know, **_she said hastily. And she did. She knew precisely where her mother was, and she was far from dead. As for her father, well… not many of the kits in Macavity's tribe knew their fathers.

_**Pay attention, **_Macavity snapped suddenly. _**I'm going. I'll contact you tonight. **_And he was gone.

_Wha…? _Pay attention to what? Then she remembered that she wasn't alone. She strained to catch the last part of whatever Perci was saying.

"…Dancing," Perci finished, indicating a large, open area.

"Oh! Um, neat," Falden stammered, staring at the space and wondering what in catnip he'd just said. Something about dancing?

"Of course, I'm not all that excited about the dancing," Perci went on. "But it should be fun anyway. I mean, we get to stay up all night." Falden nodded, trying to appear interested. _Must be some kind of party or something. _But now that she was actually paying attention again, she noted that Perci was being _way _too…cheerful. That is, the cheerfulness was _forced. _She realized why almost immediately. _He wants to know what happened with that psychic cat. _

"This is all very interesting, Ci-Ci," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "But come off it, you _know _you're dying to know what went on just now."

"Erm…" Percival looked down, shuffling his feet and muttering incoherently. "You…don't _have _to," he mumbled finally.

"Yes I do," she said seriously. "Because it's the only way you'll stop thinking I'm here to murder you all in your dens." She held up her paw before the tom could protest. "Come _on, _Perce, I know you're not an idiot. You wouldn't automatically trust a cat who just randomly showed up from Macavity's tribe. No matter what I told you before. Well, now you've got the psychic cat to verify it. I left because Macavity killed my parents." She brought out the tears then, as only she knew how. A kit who just found out the leader of her tribe was the murderer of her parents, couldn't exactly look happy and still be convincing. Perci's eyes widened.

"I…" He looked down, as if it was too much effort for him to meet her gaze. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. Falden frowned. It was one thing to feel badly for her; but why did he seem to feel…guilty? "But…but I don't understand," he said, regaining control. "I remember your mum…"

"She's not my mum. Macavity killed my parents, then had me an' Fangorn brought up by a nursing queen in the tribe." The strong emotions suggested by Falden's tears, didn't show in her voice; her voice was expressionless. She merely stated facts.

"How did you find out?"

"My—well, the queen I _thought _was my mum, told me." Falden was having to think fast now. "She said she never really wanted to be a part of Macavity's gang—she only joined up with them because she had no place else to go. She was injured, and…well, she got let in because she was good at taking care of kits. She didn't realize Macavity was evil until it was too late. But she said that I should leave, while I still could; so I wouldn't become like…them."

"And Fang?" Perci asked. Falden shook her head.

"He's completely loyal to Macavity. At this point, I don't think he'd care even if he _did _find out the truth."

"Oh…" Perci bit his lip. "Hang it all, Den, you're not _really _going to leave, are you?"

"It's official?" Falden's eyes brightened, though she took care not to get _too _cheerful, too quickly. That would defeat the purpose of her previous 'sorrow'. "You want me to stay?" She poked him. "I'm still annoying."

"Good. You're staying with me, Mungo and Teazer—you'll love 'em. Annoying queen-brats are their specialty." He started off in the direction of the twins' den. Falden followed, barely restraining herself from dancing a jig. _If I were a human, I'd _so _go to acting school! _


	13. Worries

_Worries_

"So…there was nothing suspicious? Nothing at all?" Demeter asked in a hushed voice, stroking the headfur of her youngest kit, who was asleep next to her.

"Well…" Munkustrap hesitated, wincing slightly as Dahlia tugged his tail (which had always been her 'security blanket') in her sleep. "He didn't go into detail," the silver tabby admitted. "He only said…that the kit meant no harm, and had nothing to do with…well, you know who." He looked intently into his mate's face. "Why? Did you sense something…?"

"No…I mean…I don't know," the gold queen mumbled, rubbing a paw across her forehead. "It's so hard to…I mean…sometimes I know I'm just being paranoid. But others…" She trailed off.

"And which is it this time?" Munkustrap prompted.

"I…can't tell. Anyway, I suppose you should trust the twins' judgment better than mine. _They're_ the psychic ones…"

"But you have strong instincts, to say the least. Demeter," he said seriously, "if something's the matter…I need to know." She was silent for a moment. Then,

"No…no, it's nothing. Only…" The gold queen reached over and took her mate's paw in hers. "The Ball. Promise me you'll be extra careful. We have to know where everyone is at all times, no one goes off alone, especially kits…" She turned wide-eyed to look at Merrilee and Merlin, who were in a snoring heap in a corner of the den.

"I will," soothed the silver tom. _"No one _is ever going to touch our kits, Dem. Or you. Or anyone else. Not while I've still got life in me."

* * *

"So you _asked_ her? You honest-to-the-Everlasting Cat asked her?" demanded the younger tom for the umpteenth time.

"_Yes,_ Pouncival," hissed Tumblebrutus. "I asked her. She said yes. End of story. Now would you _shut it!"_

"Yeah, _please_ do," said Jemima, making her brothers jump. "Besides, how can you two _still _be on the Ball? What about that random kit Perci found?"

"Don't _even,_ Jemi," snorted Pounce. "Who's been going on about a certain _tom-thief _for the past twenty-four hours?"

"Aren't you even the _least _bit curious?" asked the queen, glad they couldn't see her blush in the dark.

"What's to be curious about?" shrugged Tumble. "Perce found a queen, was enamored at the sight of her, wanted her to stay, Cori looked in her mind to make sure she wasn't a hench, we have a new Tribe-member, end of story."

"Are you _really_ that shallow?" Jemima demanded. "Don't you think it's just a _bit _odd that it was _Perci _who found her?"

"Why should that be odd?" Pounce yawned. Before Jemima could make a still more exasperated response, their discussion was cut short.

"You three sleep quite loudly," called their mother pointedly, from the other end of the den. The three siblings rolled their eyes, but didn't dare say anymore. Jemima was forced to keep her suspicious thoughts to herself. At least until morning.

* * *

"And I just don't understand it at _all!" _the tortoiseshell queen exclaimed. Plato sighed and flopped over, wishing he had a pillow to cover his ears. Come to that, he wished his sister would grow up and get a mate so she could move in with him and talk _his _ear off every night! Then Plato could actually get some peace and quiet… The ginger-patched tom immediately felt bad for thinking that. He knew he was just feeling extra short-tempered tonight…but who wouldn't, in his position?

"Just go to sleep, 'Lecci," he mumbled. "Please?"

"How can you _not _be interested?" Electra demanded, staring over at him in the dark. "Okay," she admitted, "maybe a new kit's not _that _interesting to you. But I mean, it's kind of weird, isn't it? That _Perci_ found her and not someone else…"

"I see that as nothing more than Percival's inquisitive, troublemaking personality coming into play," Plato growled. "He's about as bad as Pouncival. Matter of fact, _all_ you kits who claim to be grown-up seem awfully good at finding trouble. Which is what _you'll _find if you don't let me get some sleep!" So saying, he squeezed his eyes shut, ignoring the guilt that clawed at his belly.

Electra stared at a patch on her brother's back, which was turned to her. He _never _hollered at her like that. Never. What was the matter with him? The queen turned away, biting a claw to keep back tears.

Plato called himself every bad name he knew, and then some. If he'd talked to Electra like that when they were little, she'd have burst out wailing. Her silence was worse.

* * *

"Looks like we've got another 'un," murmured Rumpelteazer, propping herself up on her elbow and looking at Percival in his corner, and Falden on the pile of blankets he'd found for her. Both were (to all appearances) asleep.

"Yup," Mungojerrie acknowledged. "Say," he added casually, "if we ever…y'know…got mates…"

"Huh?" The tabby queen's head snapped around to stare at him. "How'd we get ta _that?" _

"I jus' meant," said Mungo hastily, reddening, "who'd…y'know…take care of 'em?"

"Oh, ya silly pollicle, you," giggled Teazer, aiming a swat at her brother. "Y' make it sound like we're th' only cats around. This's a _Tribe, _Jerrie. Everycat looks out fer each other. The kits'd be taken care of. They'd prob'ly move in with Jenny er Jelly er somethin'. Er they c'ld jus' 'ave their own den. There'd be plenty o' cats within call."

"Y' think the elders'd _allow _that?" asked Mungo, raising an eyebrow.

"Allow…?" Rumpel gave an exasperated sound when she realized what he meant. _"Why_ is this stuff on yer mind all of a sudden?" she demanded.

"Erm…no…reason," the tiger tom mumbled, not meeting her gaze.

"Don' try _that _'un on me again," Rumpelteazer growled. "It's th' same reason y've been actin' all weird an' singin' and hummin'. Yer takin' someone to the Ball!" she burst out. One look at his face and she knew she was right. "Ha! There, it's out! I've guessed! Not tha' it wosn't obvious anyway," she added. Mungojerrie muttered something incoherently, then looked up.

"An'…y' don't mind?" he asked anxiously.

"Yew are the nuttiest tom in all o' London!" she practically yowled. "Why should I mind? When _I'm _goin' with Tumble," she concluded with a half-smile. "Who're _yew _goin' with?"

"Well, I—huh? Tumble?" Mungo repeated, confused. "But I thought yew were s'posed t' go with Plato," he blurted out before thinking.

"Plato?" Teazer narrowed her eyes at him. "What made y' think _that?"_ Her brother didn't answer. Meanwhile, Rumpelteazer was piecing things together in her mind. "Y' mean you—you tried ta…ta…hitch me up with him?" she snarled.

"It wosn' like that…" Mungojerrie tried to protest, but Rumpel cut him off.

"I don' _need_ yew t' go aroun' tryin' to fin' me a date!" she said shrilly. "Wot, yew thought I wouldn' get asked if you didn' intervene? Think I'm not pretty enough that a tom'd wanna ask me anyway?" She stopped to catch her breath, then added smugly, "Well, yew were obviously wrong. _Tumble _asked me. An' it was all 'is own idea. Unless _yew _'ad sommat t' do with _that _too?" She glared at her brother, who shook his head wordlessly. "Good." With that, she flopped over to go to sleep. She no longer cared who Mungo was taking to the Ball.

Mungojerrie gulped as he lay back on his blanket-pile. Things were never pretty when Teazer got mad at him. And she was _fuming. _She was being unfair, he knew. It had been _Plato's _own idea to take her to the Ball. Mungo hadn't asked him. Well, all right, _maybe _he'd hinted…just a little… He knew he'd have to be more careful in future; if he ever came out of this alive, that is.

The two younger cats were far from sleep; though both were doing a bloody good job faking it. Falden was fighting to keep her eyes awake while she waited for her leader to contact her as he'd promised. _Hope he remembers I'm still a kit and need my sleep… _

_**Don't you worry, he does. **_Macavity's voice made her jump. How'd he have a knack for showing up _just _when her thoughts were turning a bit rebellious?

_**Sir, **_she said, reddening, _**exactly what am I here to do? I know you want me to spy, but I don't really know what to look for… **_

_**You just earn their trust and leave the rest to me. **_Falden sighed. She knew Macavity had a plan; something important. She'd been hoping he would tell her…but then, no one ever told kittens _anything. __**Believe it or not, I have my reasons for not telling you. I promise you I know what I'm doing, even if you don't think I do. **_Falden couldn't tell whether her leader was amused or annoyed. Probably both. _**But you do need to know this: in a few days the Jellicles are having their annual Jellicle Ball. **_Ball. That must be the party Perci had been talking about, the one where they got to stay up all night and dance…_**You must find a way to lead Munkustrap… **_He made the name sound like a curse. _**…Away from the others.**_

_**Er… **_She didn't exactly know who all the Jellicles were…

_**He's the tall silver tabby who orders everyone about; he's the one who allowed you to stay after Coricopat 'inspected' your mind. **_She could almost hear the smirk in his voice. _**He's got four kits…in fact… **_He then became thoughtful. _**It might be to our advantage if you befriend them. **_

_**So…I've got to get him away…any certain time?**_

_**The sooner the better…just keep on the alert. **_

_**Yes, Sir.**_

_**And…if you can…get your little friend Percival… 'wrapped around your little finger', as humans say.**_

_**Of course. **_That wouldn't be difficult, she noted with a hint of self-congratulations. _**Is that all? **_she asked.

_**It's all you need to know…for now. Good night. **_With that, her mind felt normal again. _This job would be nothing! _Falden grinned to herself, stifling a yawn as she glanced over at Perci. _And it might even be fun._ She snuggled down into the nest of blankets, and was asleep within five minutes.

Percival wasn't so lucky. It wasn't from lack of tiredness; he was exhausted. But he couldn't sleep. His eyes kept wandering to the sleeping queen-kit, unease clawing at his insides. Why did something seem amiss? Of course he hadn't trusted her when she'd shown up, sobbing about how he'd 'left her'. He knew crocodile tears when he saw them. But still, he'd hoped that once the older cats had said she could stay…especially when Coricopat actually looked into her mind…he'd hoped that would reassure him. He didn't doubt Coricopat's mystic abilities, or his honesty; but something didn't seem right. Why hadn't Coricopat seen anything in Falden's mind about her having grown up in Macavity's Tribe…? Maybe he had. Maybe he just hadn't mentioned it because he didn't want to worry the others; maybe he'd assumed that since Macavity had killed Falden's parents, there was no way she'd have anything to do with the ginger tom anymore. That _did _make sense; it also explained to Perci why she'd left the Tribe. (Really, 'I only stayed for you' was a weak argument for a kitten to make…though it was rather flattering.) Even so…Coricopat couldn't be _certain. _And that would mean he'd lied to his Tribe. _Yes, and Cori wasn't the only one, _Perci acknowledged, turning crimson. But it was for the best…if Coricopat hadn't mentioned where Falden came from, surely it was all right that Perci hadn't, either? But as many times as the ginger tom had gone over this in his mind, he couldn't get rid of the guilt. He'd never lied to anyone before. Added to that, his father was the murderer of his best friend's parents. That didn't come without a bit of guilt, either.

Who _could _sleep with all that mess inside him? If only he could rid himself of it all…but there was no way. Falden, apparently, didn't know the relationship between Macavity and Perci. And if that was the case, it was best if it stayed that way. And how could Perci confide his guilt to Falden without letting that slip? He couldn't tell Munkustrap where Falden came from, either; she'd get chased away before you could say 'mouse', never mind what Cori saw in her mind.

Percival sighed and flopped over onto his other side. He'd have to live with all that, and the prospect was quite bleak. All for the price of having his best friend stay. And he really did want her to. But, for all that, he _still _couldn't trust her. Why? Why couldn't he shake the feeling that something bad would come of Falden's being here?

* * *

The scarlet queen lay on her back, staring at the ceiling of her den. Bombalurina hated it; hated the way her every movement, her every sigh, echoed off the walls, echoed the emptiness back to her. If she were still living in her mother's den, she could snuggle up to the warm bodies of her little siblings… But queens of her age hardly stayed with their mothers and siblings; come to that, queens of her age hardly lived _alone, _either, she noted, turning to glare at her reflection in her mirror, which, of course, glared right back at her.

Bomba turned away from the looking-glass to lie on her other side. If this went on, she'd end up as a…what her humans called an 'old maid'. Tears started; she dashed them away angrily. _It didn't have to be like this. You're doing it to yourself. _She recalled the words of nearly a year ago… "Maybe next year, babe," uttered by a Maine Coon who took her paw in the moonlight… _Ugh. Babe? What cat uses _that _word? _The one and only. Oh, how she despised that tom…! How stupid, how high on catnip she must have been at last year's Ball. Why did everyone seem to expect her to be mates with him?

When there was only _one _tom she'd ever want to be with…but she never would. It was impossible.

She _would _be an old maid.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Wow... I think this is the longest chapter I've written yet!

**Edit: **Woops...I just realized that I called Jemi, Pounce, and Tumble Bomba's 'littermates' (born in the same litter), which they're not. edits -


	14. Elated or Terrified?

_Elated…or Terrified?_

Etcetera was awake at sunrise…something that surprised her to no end. She was not what one would call an early riser. Oh, she didn't sleep the day away, but she wasn't up with the sun either. Normally, when she first awoke, she would just drift back off to sleep…but this morning, she couldn't. Her sister's white pelt usually felt soft, warm, and snuggly; now it felt scratchy, hot, and…well, unpleasant. She was uncomfortable; she was restless; she was jumpy; in short, she was wide awake. The tortie sat up, stretched, and gave a gigantic yawn. Her insides were buzzing with…excitement? Nervousness? She couldn't tell. Maybe it was early symptoms of the anticipation that she always felt when the Ball was coming. Ha, 'always'…this would only be her second Ball, and she made it seem as if she'd been to as many as her grandfather, Old Gus. She glanced at her parents, who looked perfectly content, her father, Asparagus, snoring softly. She liked to see them like that; especially her mother. Awake, Jellylorum was wonderful, loving…and yet…too often spent every moment in a cleaning frenzy. Slowly, Etcy got up and padded out of the den. May as well enjoy the fresh air (well, as fresh as London's air gets) now that she was awake. Passing by her sleeping older sister, Etcetera stopped and looked at her. The white kit—no, _queen, _Etcy corrected herself—looked… so serene; almost angelic. Her mouth was turned up in a smile, one that made her look as if she knew a secret that no one else did, a _wonderful _secret, the one that made her so 'angelic'. Etcetera thought Victoria had never looked so beautiful as she did now, and for some reason, the thought made her want to start bawling. She quickly tiptoed past her sister and made her way through the junkyard, to the old oven. The tawny tortoiseshell crawled inside and hunched up into a corner, as if to hide herself from everything. Looking at Victoria had reminded her of something: the Ball. Obviously she'd not forgotten; it was just that she'd forgotten a couple of very important aspects of said Ball. One: Etcetera still didn't have a date. She blinked hard to hold back tears. No matter how much she scolded herself, she couldn't help feeling hurt. Had she done something wrong? Maybe she wasn't pretty enough? Or maybe none of the toms even knew she existed… She wasn't even dreaming of Tugger; she was slowly figuring out that he was a lost cause. Though Etcy still felt that excitement bubble up inside of her when she saw him, that almost-irresistible urge to shriek…she was learning to restrain herself. Tugger was not worth it. She'd lost count of how many times she'd told herself that; and she knew it was true. The Maine Coon really didn't give catnip for her, or his other 'fan-queens'; at least not the kitten ones. (Though even _they_ were hardly kittens anymore). Maybe he actually did care about a queen, but it wasn't Etcy, and she knew it. And she was…pretty much all right with that. From what she'd seen, Tugger would make a lousy mate anyway.

So, it wasn't as if the tortie queen was sitting around, hoping for Tugger to ask her to the Ball. She just wanted _someone _to ask her. Her best friends had dates; she'd feel weird tagging along with them. Her sister did too, obviously. Etcetera rested her arms on her bent knees and scrunched her face into her arms. She felt so…abandoned.

Which brought her to the other thing about the Ball that she hadn't thought of: the Ball was in three days. After those three days, her sister would no longer be with her in their parents' den. That is, she wouldn't, if things went the way everyone expected them to. "Why do toms have to ruin _everything?" _she mumbled. It was strange to hear that coming out of her own mouth. It sounded like something Electra would say, or even Jemima; but not Etcy. But she supposed a queen thought of toms differently when said toms were (or seemed to be) ignoring the queen's existence. And when they're stealing away the queen's friends and sisters. Etcetera suddenly had a strong urge to cave in Mistoffelees' den. That'd solve a lot. _Sure, and cause Vicki to throw herself in a river somewhere. Besides, how exactly do you cave in a drain-pipe? _Even still, why did _he _have to come along and change things? Things were wonderful when Victoria was tom-free…she'd started paying attention to Etcy again, and actually seemed to win back the kittenhood that she'd lost with Plato. Yes, after Plato left, there'd been a short sigh of relief. The sisters had had fun together again. And then a certain Magic Tom had come along and made Victoria melt. After which the white queen never spoke or thought of anything (or any_one_) else. And now they were very soon to become mates. Jellylorum had, herself, given permission. At midnight, when the Ball started; when Victoria opened it with the Invitation dance; after that, Jelly would consider her officially 'of age'. (In truth, she could have been considered 'of age' quite some time ago, but Jelly had been paranoid after what happened with Plato.) Then, whether at the Ball or soon thereafter, the white queen and the tuxedo tom could declare themselves mates. They probably would wait until after the Ball, Etcy reflected. The way things had gone last year, it would be uncomfortable (for both of them) to do otherwise. And then, there was nothing for it; Vick would move in with Misto, and Etcetera would be alone. Well, obviously she wouldn't be _alone, _in one sense of the word; but she simply meant alone as in…well, without a mate. She wasn't _quite _of the age yet, her mother said. Even if she were, there was no 'special tom' in her life; she hadn't even managed to snag a 'friend-date' to the Ball, much less anything more!

But surely she was throwing this all out of proportion; it was only Victoria who was (for certain) getting a mate. Her friends only had 'escorts' to the Ball, and that _certainly _did not make them mates. But…that could change. After all, you might barely even think of a tom one day, and wake up infatuated with him the next! And she wasn't going to lie and say that Mungojerrie wasn't a charming fellow; nor would she deny that Pouncival was quite…adorable, to say the least. Her friends might positively _melt. _Then it would be all up with them. Jemima, like Victoria, would be allowed to have a mate this year. Electra wasn't much older than Etcetera, but she didn't have a mother, nor any relation except Plato. And Etcy doubted Plato could do anything if Electra was truly enamored of a tom. Jenny had, more or less, adopted Electra, but she couldn't_ exactly _make her wait…although she _could _make Pounce wait. But Pounce was older than Jemima, so it followed that he'd be allowed to have a mate, too. So then, what if Etcetera's friends both got mates? And then, where did that leave _her?_

* * *

Victoria sat up suddenly. Then she looked around in confusion, wondering what had woken her up. She turned towards Etcetera, wondering if her sister had bumped her…and discovered that the younger queen wasn't there. _Odd. _The white queen looked to see if her parents were gone as well; no, they were still sound asleep. _As well they should be; it's barely sunrise, _she noted, glancing out the den's entrance. So, that meant Etcy had gone out alone. That was odder still. A slight frown on her face, Victoria left the den to find her sister, to make sure she was all right.

It didn't take long to find her; the white queen only had to follow the loud sniffing sounds. _Etcy never was very good at crying quietly. _Softly, Victoria climbed into the oven and sat down. Etcetera looked up quickly, but relaxed when she saw who it was. She wiped a paw across her nose and tried to smile. It turned out to be more of a grimace. "Bad dream?" Victoria asked gently, wiping the other queen's tears away with her tail. Even as she said it, she knew it was something much less trivial.

"N-no, more like a bad reality," said Etcetera, trying feebly to make a joke of it.

"Tell me," said the white queen, pulling her sister into a hug and stroking her headfur, as their mother might do.

"W-well…it…it's stupid." Etcy hesitated. Maybe she could tell Victoria about the whole 'date' thing, but she couldn't talk to her about Mistoffelees. Vick was so happy; the last thing Etcetera wanted was to squash that by making her feel guilty.

"It's not stupid," Victoria said firmly. "Stupid things don't make you cry." She laughed slightly. After thinking about it for a minute, Etcy couldn't help giggling too. Being queens, they both knew that it wasn't _entirely _true.

"It's just…it's…the Ball," said Etcetera finally.

"Etcy," said Victoria, "you _do _know that 'getting asked' to the Ball isn't as important as everyone makes it sound? Wait," she added quickly, as Etcy started to protest, "I said that the wrong way… Okay, I know it _is _important, in a sense. But it's only because we've made it so. You shouldn't have to feel inferior just because you're not going with a tom. Personally, if I were you, I'd have lots more fun just going with my friends anyway." Etcetera sighed. Victoria was one to talk. _She _had a tom.

"Jemima's going with Mungo, and Electra's going with Pounce," said Etcy flatly. "They wouldn't want _me _hanging around."

"Etcetera, don't you _remember _what last year was like? Hardly anyone even danced with the toms they went with, or even hung out with them at all. Alonzo—poor guy—took Cassandra. Well, you saw how _that _was. Bomba went with Tugger…need I say more? Munkustrap took Demeter, of course… And most of the other cats didn't 'go with' anyone at all—except the ones who were already mates, but that's kind of understood. Anyway, my point is…"

"But it seems _so_ much more important this year," Etcetera objected. "And everyone's got someone but me."

"Actually…" Victoria's eyes twinkled. "I heard a rumor…that _Tugger_ doesn't have anyone yet." Etcetera's eyes widened.

"Well, serves him right," she said, feeling a bit better. Victoria looked mildly surprise at this, but not very. It was rather obvious that Tugger's fans were outgrowing him; Etcetera, perhaps, more slowly than the others, but outgrowing him nonetheless. "But still."

"You could take Merri, Merlin, Dahlia, and Demi, and give Munkustrap and Demeter a break," Victoria suggested.

"Vick…thanks…but…kitsitting…at the Ball? I want go with a tom," she insisted, the tears starting again. "I want him to ask me and—and dance with me, and…talk to me, and make me feel special, and… What's wrong with me? Am I not pretty enough?" She bit her lip. Great, the last thing she wanted was to be called _vain…_

"You kidding? You're adorable," Victoria said, now hugging Etcy almost defensively. "And I don't mean baby-kitten-adorable, either," she added. "I mean the adorable that makes toms caterwaul. Er …maybe not caterwaul, but you know what I mean. And I'll strangle any tom who says otherwise!"

"Thanks," mumbled Etcetera into her sister's shoulder. "But…"

"Etcy," Victoria continued, seriously, "I'm telling you, there's a tom who wants to ask you to the Ball. He wants to so bad, he's making himself crazy. He just hasn't gotten the courage to do it."

"B-but maybe he'll never…"

"He's still got three days. He'll ask. And if he doesn't, you can tell me and I'll…find out who it is and make him snog you in front of everyone!"

"Oh…Vicki." Etcetera giggled. "I forgot how crazy you are sometimes…"

"Me?" Victoria pretended to be insulted. _"You _are the one," she said, pointing a claw at her sister, "who had the nerve to think you weren't pretty! Imagine something so ridiculous!"

* * *

Admetus rolled onto his back; then his left side; then his right; then his stomach. All in vain. It was official: there was absolutely no position into which he could put himself to get comfortable. Why in Great Heaviside was he awake? It was _far _too early. He groaned, putting his paws over his face to shield his eyes from the morning sunlight that crept into his den's opening. He should've gotten a den on the _east _end of the junkyard…but then the sun might bother him if he took a nap late in the afternoon…it was a lose-lose situation, he supposed. Adme sat up with another groan. _Three more days and the Jellicle Moon would shine. _That thought set his heart to beating like a great brass band; one that played the same song over and over: _You've not asked her, you've not asked her, you've not asked her, you've not asked her. _It was so vivid, it was nearly audible. Admetus was on the verge of screaming, "Shut _up!"_ But he didn't exactly need to wake the whole 'yard… His stomach rumbled. On sudden impulse, he got up and left his den. Might as well find breakfast… While he was at it, maybe he could go on an adventure, slay a few pollicles, maybe a mad bull… something a little easier than talking to the tortie queen.


	15. Sunup

_Sunup _

The rust tortoiseshell sat up and stretched, blinking sleep from her eyes. She looked around the den, her gaze instinctively landing on her brother. Any trace of anger she might have felt towards him for his nastiness last night, was gone. Now her eyes softened with pity for the ginger-patched tom. Life had not been very kind to him lately, Electra reflected. Not that that gave him an excuse to be a jerk to anyone—and, indeed, he _hadn't _been, until last night. Plato didn't often complain of his own problems; he'd probably remain silent even if he got stuck in a _hole. _Whether he didn't want to burden others, or he was just too proud to admit anything was wrong, the tom just wasn't the 'confide-in-others' type. And until last night, he hadn't really given any indication that anything was wrong. But Electra knew; her brother had 'sobered up' after… Well, soon after last year's Ball. He'd gotten too serious, too soon, for a tom of his age. Not that he'd ever been an _especially _'jolly' tom, but he'd at least known how to have fun. He still tried, too, when he was with his friends. But his heart wasn't in it. There was only one thing in the world that was really wrong with him. _She should have done something…tried to get Plato and Victoria to make up… _Electra hissed in frustration. Why was she reminiscing about things of nearly a year ago? There was nothing she could do about it now. If that whole stupid thing hadn't happened, then Plato wouldn't have turned 'angst' on her. Electra's anger shifted from herself to her brother in an instant. Why'd Plato have to get mixed up with Victoria in the _first _place? The two had hardly even known of each other's existence…To Victoria, Plato was only 'Electra's brother'. To Plato, Victoria was only 'Electra's little white friend'. Then what happened? …_The Ball happened. _What was it about the Ball? There was something magical about that night. Something that made every cat forget any ounce of shame or reserve he ever had, and just turn himself loose. In one sense, it was a good thing. How else could the Jellicles dance so passionately, so freely, and yet so orderly—as a single unit? But the Madness of the Midnight Dance also caused them to do things that…well, they wouldn't do, if their minds weren't slightly addled by the Jellicle Moon. A queen might absolutely hate a tom, but at the Ball, decide that she couldn't live without him, and vice-versa. After the Madness had worn off, they would go right back to despising each other. Except everyone else would now have the idea that they were infatuated with one another. 

What if that was what had happened between Plato and Victoria? They'd never hated each other, of course. But was it the Ball that sparked their sudden _regard_ for each other? Would Plato have ever noticed Victoria otherwise? Would _she_ have noticed _him?_

Oh, she didn't_ know! _Electra rubbed a paw across her forehead. She shouldn't have to headache like this over _Plato's _problems. _Let him deal with it himself. Let him build a bridge and get over it. It's none of my catnip. _Yeah, right. Even as she thought it, Electra knew she was fooling herself. She'd never be able to just sit back and watch her brother be miserable the rest of his life. _That _would be a nightmare. But what…? _Okay. _She needed to think this all out…

_The Ball was in three days. _Stating the obvious was always a good place to start. _Now, who all had dates… _She mentally ticked off the ones she knew of. _Victoria (obviously), me _(she blushed with pleasure at that), _Jemima, Teazer. _Had Etcetera been asked yet? She wasn't sure. Electra's pulse quickened in excitement. Maybe she could get Plato to—! But just as quickly as the excitement filled her, it drained out. If she even gave the smallest hint that she was trying to 'snag her brother a date', he'd blow his top. _Bloody pride of his. _And besides… Electra shook her head in despair. She needed advice… Her face lit up again, and she marched off in search of her 'little white friend', leaving her still-snoring brother behind.

* * *

"This would be_ so _romantic," Etcetera sighed, gazing at the rising sun.

"_What _would?" Victoria teased. Etcetera stuck her tongue out, but persisted.

"Can you imagine a more perfect time to ask someone to the Ball? What if he came here right now, took me by the paw, sat up with me on the Tire, and just as the sun rose behind us…"

"Great catnip, Etcy, he's not asking for mateship! You _do _remember that, right?" Victoria said, only half-teasing this time.

"Of course," Etcy rolled her eyes. Then she wrinkled her nose. "I mean, _eww!_ Me, a mate? Now? But still, the tom who asks me to the Ball _could_ be my mate one day. You never know!" Victoria shrugged.

"Could be," she conceded. The white queen squinted up at the sun. "How about some breakfast? I don't know about you, but _I'm_ famished."

"Okay," the tortoiseshell agreed. She still wasn't on top of the world, as it were, but she was considerably more cheerful than she had been. Her eyes took on their mischievous glint. "Just take care not to eat_ too _many mice. Wouldn't want to ruin your pretty figure…" Etcetera giggled madly, ducking the paw that her older sister swiped at her, and running out of the oven. Victoria chased after her, pretending to be fuming—and nearly slammed into her sister, who'd nearly collided with Electra.

"Great Heaviside, you scared me!" Etcy exclaimed, backing up a few steps.

"'Morning, El'," Victoria greeted, stepping out from behind her sister. "You're up early."

"So are you," said Electra. She smiled, but she wasn't her usual bubbly self (not that she ever got as bubbly as Etcetera), and that worried Victoria somewhat.

"You okay, 'Lecci?" asked Etcetera, looking intently into her friend's face. Etcy had noticed, too.

"Yeah…well…not exactly…I mean, _I _am…" Electra sighed. There were a number of things she could have said. _Something's up with Plato… Plato's not been acting right… Plato needs a queen… Plato's still in love with you, Vicki… _But only two words came out: "The Ball." Etcetera barely stopped herself letting out a howl.

"Well," Vick sighed, "that seems to be the source of _everyone's _problems lately…" Etcy was wondering how her sister could be so calm about it. _She _was beginning to think the Ball was jinxed!


	16. Ominous

_Ominous_

The Maine Coon sauntered lazily through the junkyard, using a sharp bone from the mouse he'd just eaten to pick stray pieces of meat out of his teeth. Over and over, he repeated under his breath what he was going to say. Just outside the queen's den, he stopped. _What was _wrong _with him! He was the _Tugger, _for Heaviside's sake! _Thus reassuring himself, he cleared his throat and called into the den, "Hello?" His stomach churned. Oh, dear, he hoped he hadn't woken her up…

"Tugger?" A voice behind him nearly made him jump out of his fur. He spun around.

"M-morning, Zotti," he stuttered. Stuttered? 'Stuttered' wasn't even a word in Tugger's vocabulary! Quickly, he composed himself. "Errrhem. I mean. Good morning, Exotica." The Havana Brown smiled.

"Did you need something?" she asked.

"Need something?" He glanced idly behind him. Oh, yes…he was just outside Exotica's den, wasn't he. "Oh! Well…" He paused to discard his 'tooth-pick bone' and smooth his mane. The queen waited patiently. "Yes," he said finally. Then, quickly, as if to stop her saying anything, "Would you like to go to the Ball with me?" Her eyes lit up. She opened her mouth—then closed it, as if she didn't want to answer too fast. Tugger bit his lip—then scolded himself for being so nervous. Who _wouldn't _go to the Ball with the Rum Tum Tugger? Echoes of the 'find someone else,' from the mouth of a certain scarlet queen, rang around his head. He stoutly ignored them.

"Yes, I'd love to," Exotica answered, after seeming to think for a moment. Tugger all but grinned, straightened his mane again, then hurried off before she could change her mind. Exotica stared after him before heading into her den. "Toms," she muttered. _"Handsome _toms," she conceded. Much as she hated to admit it, the Havana Brown was practically glowing.

* * *

Tugger slowed down as soon as he was out of sight. Not knowing what else to do, he headed back towards his den, nodding at a few kittens as he passed them. Once in his den, he sat down on the extra-large pillow that served as his bed and gave a slight nod, satisfied. Well…partially satisfied. He couldn't hold back a disappointed sigh. "You've got _someone," _he muttered. "At least you've got _someone." _ Yeah, someone he had no interest in whatsoever. Well, no more interest than he had in any of his other adoring fans. She hardly even talked. Not that Tugger was the king of conversation himself, but he _always _kept things interesting. Exotica was…boring. Pretty, yes, but boring. She'd probably just sit around and stare at him. _Well…that wasn't too bad… _But she might not even dance. Maybe he _would _do his song; that way he wouldn't feel like he had to spend _too _much time with her.

What was _that? _Since when did he ever 'feel like he had to' spend time with a queen?! _He got bored, he could just go do something else…_ He lay back on the pillow. _Such as, sing his song._ _It might even…_Tugger sat up so quickly he nearly banged his head on the low ceiling. Maybe that was _it. _Maybe _she _was acting weird because _Tugger _hadn't been feeling himself lately. He didn't know if it was him having personality issues, hormones (if cats _have _hormones), or what, but lately he couldn't seem to do _anything _right. That probably annoyed Bomba, and _that _was why she was mad! What queen wanted a weak tom? The Ball was his chance to redeem himself! What was he _thinking, _not doing his song? Of _course _he'd do his song! He stood up to go tell Munkustrap—then sat down again. Why tell him? It'd be a surprise, not to mention a good joke. Everyone would _love _it. But he'd better not drop any hints…that'd be hard…Another idea came to him. He hadn't seen his humans in a while…And he really would like to find his shiny belt before the Ball. His dance wouldn't be complete without it. Tugger stood up and left his den. Suddenly, he felt a lot better.

* * *

Falden sighed, studying her claws. She was bored nearly to tears. She glanced over at the still-sleeping Perci and yawned. She'd woken up and caught herself breakfast, and he still slept. She'd made as much commotion as possible, and he still slept. Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer had gone 'to work' a while ago. They called it 'work,' but Falden knew what they did as well as anyone. Macavity had had to deal with them plenty. Though rumor had it, that they'd once worked _for _Macavity.

And still Perci slept. He must've stayed up late or something. Falden _would _have gone off and found some way to amuse herself (maybe even get better acquainted with the area and the cats, so as to be a better spy). But the twins had (strongly) advised her to stay here. It "Wouldn' be noice t' leave Perce by 'imself." Yeah, right. What they _really _meant was, "We're still not sure we can trust you, so stay here where you can't get into trouble." Rather stupid on their part. If Falden had wanted to cause trouble, there really wouldn't be anything to stop her. If the twins had _really _been worried, they'd have tied her up or something… She wondered, then, why she'd even listened to them. She supposed it was because she didn't want anyone to be suspicious of her. So poking around might not be the best idea…

Suddenly, Percival's eyes snapped open, and he leapt to his feet, panting as if he'd just run a hundred miles. He looked around wildly, his gaze landing on Falden. The slightest bit uncomfortable, the black-and-white queen backed up a bit. "What's wrong…?" she asked nervously, looking around for some unseen enemy.

"Noth…" Perci took a few deep breaths to calm himself. "Nothing." He glanced around uneasily, then turned back to Falden. "Sorry. Bad dream or something." Falden nodded, not at all convinced. Silence stretched between them. "Erm…" said Perci awkwardly. "You wanna…play or something?"

"Play?" A smile spread across her features. "Sure, why not. Want breakfast first?" She slid a mouse (she'd caught several) over to him, but he was shaking his head.

"No, no thanks, not hungry."

"Well, then. Let's…play." Her eyes glinted mischievously as she headed out of the den. Perci followed, almost cautiously, waiting for that panicked feeling to come back. It didn't. What _was _that?

* * *

She felt that all-too-familiar prickle at the nape of her neck. _Macavity! _She spun around so quickly, only his well-trained reflexes kept Munkustrap from flying headfirst off the car. The silver tabby dropped the string of lights he'd been holding and seized his mate's paw. "Demeter…?" After a long pause, she relaxed, her fur re-flattened, and she turned to look at him.

"I thought it was…" the gold queen whispered. "But it's…nothing. Or if it was…he's gone now." Munkustrap's green eyes widened in alarm.

"I'll go—" he began, but Demeter stopped him.

"No, it's fine," she insisted. "He's not here."

"But he _was," _the tabby countered, growling lowly.

"We don't _know _that…"

"_You _know it. Demeter." She'd averted her gaze. He tilted her chin so that she looked into his eyes. "You know he was here, don't you?" She hesitated.

"Yes," she whispered. "But I don't want…"

"Don't want what? Me to do my job? To protect what I love most in this world? He wouldn't just wander around here for no reason, Dem. I _have _to investigate." She shuddered, and his expression softened. "Don't worry, I won't go looking for him," he said, pulling his queen into a protective hug. "I just want to make sure he's really gone, and hasn't…" Hadn't what? He didn't even know.

"He wouldn't be so obvious," Demeter mumbled into his fur. Munkustrap frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"You know. He won't have a trap set _now—_not unless…" She trailed off and looked up into his face. "Okay. Investigate. But…" She reached up and ran a paw through his headfur. "Take others with you. Please?"

He laughed slightly. "You think I'm getting too old and feeble to handle him myself?" Quickly Munkustrap sobered again. He knew his mate thought nothing of the kind. He also knew that, alone, he was little match from his brother. And he hated it. "All right, if you want me to. I'll take Alonzo, and…" He thought a moment. "Coricopat." The tom certainly wasn't the fighting type, but he _was _psychic. Gently, he pushed his queen away and hopped down from the car. "Think you can hang those lights yourself? Ball's gotta be well lit." Demeter tried to smile.

"I think I can handle it."


	17. New Tricks

_New Tricks_

The four kits lounged about the Dump, fiddling with pieces of junk, languidly watching the occasional mouse run by…in short, being bored. The black queen-kit was the first to break the silence. "I wonder when Perci's gonna wake up," she pouted.

"Why's that matter?" asked Merlin, looking up from the old cereal box he was shredding. "We can't play the game anymore, y'know."

"No, but maybe he's got other good ideas," Dahlia insisted. "An' I wanna meet his friend, too. Mummy and Dad wouldn't say much about her." Her face lit up. "Maybe _she's _got good ideas of what to play!"

"I dunno why you all hated my idea of seeing who could make the highest stack of boxes," Merrilee grumbled, nudging the stack she'd just made. The cardboard boxes tumbled noisily to the ground, and her two younger siblings scrambled out of the way.

"Hey, you almos' gotted me," Demetrius complained.

"Well, wasn't _that _more fun than sitting around doing nothing?" the silver tabby countered.

"It's a lame game," Merlin informed her, blunt as ever. Merrilee turned towards him, green eyes narrowed, and wordlessly tossed a box at him. The silver tom ducked out of the way, rolled back onto his feet, and chucked the box right back. Merrilee threw another one; Merlin threw it _and _the half-shredded cereal box at her. Before the queen-kit could retaliate, a giggle sounded from the Dump's entrance. All four kittens turned to look.

"Perci!" cried Dahlia excitedly, running over and flinging her arms around him so that he nearly toppled over. "Can't you tell us what to play?" she pouted, backing off slightly. "We're _bored." _

"_That _looked fun," Falden remarked, gesturing towards Merrilee and Merlin. She giggled again. Dahlia turned shyly to the black-and-white queen.

"Hi," she said softly. "I'm Dahlia."

"Well," said Falden pointedly, smiling at the kit, taking her paw, and walking over to the others, "since Perci, here, has failed to introduce me…" The ginger tom blushed, muttering something incoherently. "…I'm Falden." Percival hurried to introduce the others to her.

"This is Merlin," Perci said, indicating said tom, who greeted her with a curt nod. "And Merrilee," he continued. Merrilee smiled at the queen with what looked, to Falden, like a mixture of friendliness and uncertainty. "And that's Demetrius." The gold tom-kit grinned.

"_My _name's the longest," he declared proudly.

"That it is," Falden laughed. A short pause. Then,

"So, like…are you actually…going to stay?" asked Merrilee.

"Sure! Um…" Falden glanced at Perci. "That is, I think so."

"She is," said Perci quickly. "Your dad said so."

"It's not _completely _up to him, is it?" Merlin spoke up. Perci frowned slightly. The tom didn't seem to know when to avoid certain subjects.

"Do we have to discuss this right now?" said Merrilee, elbowing her brother. Percival raised his eyebrows, mildly surprised. Usually she was about as bad as Merlin. Shrugging his shoulders, the ginger tom was just about to suggest they do something else, when Falden cut in.

"It's not? I thought your dad was in charge. There's someone else who has to decide?"

"Er…" Perci glanced at Merlin. "Who'd you mean, Merl'?"

"Grandad." The silver tom-kit rolled his eyes as if it should have been obvious.

"Old Deuteronomy?" Perci hadn't thought of that, but he supposed it was true.

"He's still the Jellicle Leader, y' know," Merlin informed him.

"Yeah…but it's not like he's here very much…"

"I'm sure it'll be no problem," Merrilee broke in, stopping the two toms short of a full-fledged argument. "Any ideas of what we should play?" she continued, pointedly, fixing her brother and half-brother with that stubborn glare of hers. They knew that look; it was the one that said, _We're done talking about this, and the next one to bring it up won't be able to move for a week._

* * *

The tuxedo tom glanced around before making his way—as quickly and quietly as possible—towards the Dump. He'd long-since outgrown it, but today he had a bit of a mission. As he stopped just inside the entrance, he saw his chance. The kittens seemed to be playing some sort of game; throwing boxes back and forth. Strange sort of game. Still, it was just what he needed. He gathered his concentration and waited.

* * *

"_Timber!" _Falden bellowed, lobbing a cracker box at Merlin with all her might. The silver tom grinned cheekily and dodged out of the way, quickly grabbing up a box of his own to throw. Just then, Dahlia gave a small shriek. Merlin looked around at his siblings and Falden; they were all staring up at something. Slowly, he raised his eyes, and they nearly bugged out of their sockets at what he saw. The cracker box Falden had thrown was floating in midair! They all watched the box, unmoving, having not the slightest clue what would happen next. After a few more seconds, the box fell to the ground at Merlin's feet. He stared down at it, scared out of his wits—until he heard their laughter.

"Mistoffelees!" Merrilee yowled. "Don't you _ever _do that again!" Merlin hurried over to join the others, who'd gathered around the grinning tuxedo tom.

"You must be the great Magical Mr. Mistoffelees," Falden said.

"What? Er, yeah, that's me," said Mistoffelees, though rather surprised that she'd heard of him.

"I'm Falden, in case Perci forgets to introduce me—again." The black-and-white queen winked at Perci, who merely stuck his tongue out. Apparently Falden had heard Macavity talk about Misto—Perci knew _he _hadn't mentioned the tom to her.

"So what was that, Misto?" asked Perci. "I didn't know you could make things float." Why did something about that bother him?

"Neither did I," Mistoffelees explained. "It's a new trick I just learned. I wanted to try it out on someone, and thought this would be the best place to do it. Since…well, you know."

"I know, you want to surprise your _queen-friend," _Merlin slurred.

"Ugh," Merrilee complained. "Don't _ever _talk like that again. Or at least save it for your mate. Not that _any _queen could _possibly _find it attractive."

"That was great, Uncle Mist!" Demetrius grinned. Dahlia nodded her agreement, though she still looked a bit nervous. Perci didn't like this, but he couldn't put his paw on the reason why.

"Thanks," said Mistoffelees. He looked around, then beckoned them closer. "But I need your help. I'm trying to decide what I should levitate at the Ball." _Levitate. _Why did that have an unpleasant ring to it? Perci looked nervously around at the others. Dahlia and Demetrius still looked interested, as did Falden; but Merlin looked puzzled, and Merrilee's expression was beginning to darken.

"Misto," Merrilee interrupted before he could go on. The tuxedo tom looked at her. "I don't think you should use this new trick." Mistoffelees frowned, then laughed slightly.

"Why ever not?" he asked.

"It's all right; just use caution," said a voice behind him, making Misto jump ten feet in the air. He spun around to face Tantomile.

"Don't _do _that," Mistoffelees scolded, looking around instinctively for Coricopat.

"Where's your shadow?" asked Falden bluntly. Tantomile gazed at her a moment before answering.

"Helping Munkustrap." The sleek, black-and-white-swirled queen climbed up onto a piece of junk and sat there.

"Um." Perci looked up at her. "You gonna just…stay there?" Tantomile nodded.

"Hey, what's Coricopat helping Dad with?" asked Merlin. She didn't answer.

"Let's see this new trick of yours," she said to Misto.

"Uh…" Mistoffelees was more uncomfortable than ever, and hoped that wouldn't interfere with his magic. He spotted the same cracker box he'd levitated earlier, and stared at it, letting it fill his mind, forgetting everything else. _Up. _It rose a centimeter and then dropped (not that there was very far to drop). _Up, _he thought more firmly. The box rose a bit higher; he held it there for as long as he could (about two seconds) before an exclamation from Dahlia broke his concentration.

"See, Merri?" she said. "It's not a bad trick!" Merrilee nodded reluctantly, then looked at Tantomile.

"Some humans use guns for murder," said the mystic queen softly. "Others use them to defend the helpless. Are both of them bad?" She looked around at all the kittens. "Well, are they?" Six heads shook from side to side in a silent _no. _Misto looked on, beginning to comprehend. "Well, then."

"I don't get it," Demetrius pouted. "What's a gun?"

"Never mind," said Merrilee soothingly. "Let's help Misto…" But the tuxedoed tom shook his head.

"No, that's all right. On second thoughts…I think I'll save it for another time." He glanced at Tantomile, then left the Dump.

Falden listened and watched all this with increasing interest. There was something very significant about what had just passed between these cats; she made a mental note to ask Macavity about it later.

* * *

Why hadn't he thought of it before? Mistoffelees soberly made his way back to his den. Tantomile didn't seem worried about it. Concerned, yes, but not worried. She _had _said it was all right. _Just use caution. _What did _that _mean? Bah, those twins, why couldn't they speak plainly? Was this merely coincidence? It couldn't be. He didn't like it one bit. _Why would I share the same powers as Macavity?_


	18. Only Slightly Chaotic

_Only Slightly Chaotic_

The black-and-white strode back through the yard, frowning to himself. Munkustrap had unexpectedly dragged him and Coricopat off to "investigate" something. Apparently Demeter sensed Macavity, or…well, _thought _she did. They'd found nothing, but Munk had still seemed worried. Coricopat hadn't sensed anything – well, he'd sensed a lot of tension, but that was clearly coming from Munkustrap. He hadn't sensed anything Macavity-related; at least he said he hadn't, but he hadn't looked completely at ease either. As for himself, Alonzo was secretly beginning to think that Demeter was going a bit loopy, and Munkustrap was paranoid. Sure, the gold queen had been right in the past…like last year, when everyone had been fooled by Macavity's "Old Deuteronomy" act, and only Demeter had known who it really was… But there were other times…like this… "Oof!" he muttered, bumping into something, probably due to his not looking where he was going…

"Watch where you're going, can't you?" said a familiar voice, irritation evident. Alonzo stepped back a few paces.

"I'm sorry, Bomba," he began meekly, but the queen had already moved past him. The black-and-white turned around to intercept her. "Hey, I'm sorry, it was an accident, I wasn't watching where I was going," he explained, gently taking her arm to detain her. She glared at him, and he quickly let his paw drop. It was like handling a bomb about to explode.

"Yeah, I get it, you weren't watching, now will you let me pass or is there something else you wanted to say?"

"Well, I…" Alonzo swallowed. "Uh…Did…I mean…do you need anything?" Her face relaxed somewhat from its angry expression, and now just looked confused. "You know…have you eaten? Can I find you something for breakfast while I'm…ah….around?" He wondered how many idiot points he was earning here.

"No," said Bombalurina, in a more polite tone than before. "I'm not hungry. Thanks." She began to move on.

"Oh, and Munkustrap wanted me to tell you," Alonzo said quickly, not knowing why, just knowing he needed a reason to keep her there. "Er, I mean, to tell everyone, to stay close inside the junkyard, well, especially the younger cats, but really everyone should, there's probably no danger, but he wants to be careful anyway, in case…" He ceased babbling so that he could catch his breath; to his surprise, Bomba now looked somewhat interested.

"Danger? What danger?"

"Don't worry," the tom said, his face falling, wondering if he shouldn't have told her this…but Munkustrap _had _said to make sure everyone stayed in the 'yard… "It was probably nothing; just Demeter…"

"Demeter sensed Macavity." It was a statement, not a question. Bomba was no longer looking at Alonzo, but off into the distance somewhere.

"No – I mean, she thought she did…"

"And you don't believe her?" The red queen spun around to face him, suddenly angry again. "If my sister says Macavity's here, then he is! When has she ever been wrong? Tell me that! When?" Alonzo could think of one or two instances, but he doubted if Bomba actually wanted him to answer. She was muttering to herself now. "He was here, he must have had a reason, if…" She turned back to Alonzo, who was more than a little frightened. "So – what? Now we're writing her off as a lunatic? Not going to do anything?"

"That's why Munkustrap wants everyone to stay in the junkyard," Alonzo said, somewhat defensively.

"Oh, and that'll be _so _helpful." Bomba laughed humorlessly. "Staying in the junkyard has really helped us in the past, hasn't it?" She was pacing back and forth, almost hyperventilating. Alonzo reached out and put both paws on her shoulders to stop her.

"Bomba, will you please calm down and hear me out?" He glanced over his shoulder; they were near the Tire. "Here, just sit down a minute and…"

"I don't want to sit down," she growled. She didn't sound wild anymore, at least; now she just spoke with that "you're-just-a-stupid-tom-I-don't-have-to-listen-to-you" tone. Alonzo sighed, somewhat relieved. This was more normal for Bomba, anyway.

"I'm not trying to boss you," he said reasonably. "You just…you looked really worked up about this, and I didn't want you to hurt yourself…"

"Hurt! You're worried about _me _getting hurt?" Before Alonzo could say anything more, the scarlet queen had run off. Alonzo sank down onto the Tire, stunned into silence. What had just happened here?

* * *

Admetus glanced towards the Tire; then made a beeline for it. He'd spotted a familiar black and white pelt. No, he couldn't ask Plato for help: the tom had told him, "I've told you all you need to know, you've faked it for me a million times. You most certainly can ask a queen to dance, or to the Ball, or – Heaviside, even for mateship! It's just a matter of _doing _it." That had been months ago. Admetus still didn't seem to be able to do it. And he wanted to, he did, more than anything!

"Um…Alonzo?" He climbed up onto the Tire, annoyed at how nervous he sounded. The black-and-white didn't respond. "Alonzo?" Admetus repeated, louder. This time, Alonzo gave a slight jump and looked at him.

"Wha-? What is it? What's wrong?" Something in Alonzo's expression stopped Admetus from going on with what he was going to ask. Instead he said, genuinely concerned now,

"Is everything all right?" He wondered if maybe there had been attack he didn't know about…

"All right? Me? Uh, yeah, …no…everything's fine…nothing to worry about…" Alonzo trailed off. There was a moment of awkward silence. Whatever was bugging Alonzo, he didn't seem interested in sharing.

"Well, I, um…just had a question."

"Yeah, okay, I'm listening." But Alonzo didn't look like he was listening at all.

"Well…how do I ask Etcetera to the Ball?" Admetus blurted out. He looked around, reddening. He hadn't meant to say it so loud… He turned back to Alonzo – but the black-and-white had hopped down from the Tire and was walking away.

"I'm the last tom in the world who could answer _that,"_ Alonzo said bitterly, over his shoulder. Admetus stared after him in amazement. Had Alonzo said that? Alonzo, who Admetus had always looked up to as the king of queens? As he was pondering this, he noticed, from the corner of his eye, Plato approaching. His heart drooped. He was beginning to wish he'd never asked his friend for help in the first place; now he felt _obligated _to ask a queen to the Ball, no matter how frightened he was.

"Morning, Adme," yawned the other tom. "You look worried."

"_You _look depressed," Adme countered, to get the focus off himself. But Plato really did look rather unhappy. "What kind of a three-days-before-Ball face is _that?" _Plato stiffened.

"I'm just tired," he said abruptly. There was a pause, during which Admetus tried to think of something to talk about, to avoid… "Have you asked Etcetera to the Ball yet?" …_that _question.

"I…" Admetus fiddled with his tail.

"Eh, don't worry about it," Plato shrugged, shocking Admetus. "It really doesn't matter, anyway," he muttered, almost to himself.

"What?" Despite his wish to avoid the subject, Admetus perceived that Plato wasn't going to pressure him into asking Etcetera to the Ball; the ginger-patched tom seemed to be extremely miffed about something involving queens. So, for that matter, had Alonzo. Admetus was sick and tired of feeling confused and in-the-dark. "This is what we've worked all these months for? And suddenly it 'doesn't matter'?"

"Yeah," Plato gave a short, humorless laugh, "it's kind of funny, isn't it? We spent all that time practicing – and for what? So we could ask queens to dance with us for one night out of the whole catnipping year. Then waltz off and forget we exist. Funny, eh?"

"Oh…" Admetus thought he was beginning to see. But it did come as something as a shock to him. They'd seemed fine….well, Victoria still was. But Plato clearly wasn't. Why the sudden change? Or had he just done a really good job of faking it this whole time? He knew better than to ask. "Well, maybe you're right…it is a bit silly, now I think on it." He still _really _wanted to ask Etcetera to the Ball, though. To him, it _did _mean something. So then, he'd have to tom-up and just do it. But Plato needed taking care of…but what could one do for Plato? He was such a…complicated tom. More complicated than Admetus had realized. He'd been hurt, that much was clear. He was bitter. But how could you help someone who wouldn't admit they were hurt? Adme sighed inwardly. This was a queen's job. Queens were the ones who knew all about feelings and whatnot…

"I don't think I'll be going to the Ball, actually," Plato said, making Adme jump; he'd forgotten the tom was even there.

"Not going to the Ball!" Admetus exclaimed. "But it's…"

"What? We've just agreed that it's silly."

"Well, I meant the asking queens part. But…It's a tradition…Old Deuteronomy…it's important to him…and to Munkustrap…"

"There are plenty of cats to be had; I won't be missed."

"Come on, Plato," Admetus urged. He didn't know why, he didn't know what, but something…some gut feeling…told him that Plato needed to go to the Ball. Not because he needed cheering up, not even for the tradition, but…Something bad would happen if Plato didn't go. Admetus felt stupid even thinking it, but it just seemed that way to him. He needed to get Plato to come to the Ball. "I'll…We can both forget this stupid queen business and just go together and hang out. Just like any old day. Only with music." Adme's heart sank. He told himself he could speak to Etcetera any time he wanted, but the Ball… Still, this seemed more important right now.

It didn't matter. "No," said Plato, more determined than ever, "I'm not going to go. You ask Etcetera, have a good time. While it lasts." And he wandered off in the direction of his den, leaving Admetus staring after him, confusion and anxiety written on his countenance.


	19. The Tension Builds

_The Tension Builds_

Rumpelteazer plopped her sack of 'loot' down next to Mungojerrie's and walked out of the den to find something for luncheon (they'd only stolen items this time; no food). The golden brown and ginger tabby sighed discontentedly. For the first time since…well, since they'd started this whole thieving business, if you could call it that…she and her brother had not exchanged a single word the whole time. And, both of them being (ordinarily) very talkative cats, that was quite impressive.

She hated being angry at her twin; but she _was _angry at him. She might forgive him for his insulting assumption that she wouldn't be able to get a date to the Ball without his help – if he would apologize. But he hadn't! He'd seemed very dejected and contrite, but still, he hadn't _said _it. If he wouldn't apologize, she wouldn't forgive. Maybe she was being silly. No, she _knew _she was being silly. But still, she felt herself the injured one, and Mungojerrie needed to be the one to make amends.

While all this had been going through her mind, Rumpel wasn't paying any heed to where she was going, until she banged her knee into something and realized she'd walked right into the Tire. "Skat," she muttered, hoping no one was watching…

"Rumpel?" Of course. "You okay?" Rumpelteazer looked up and saw that Admetus had spoken. At least no one else seemed to be around…

"Yeah, yeah, I'm foine," she tried to assure him, even though the frown on her face obviously contradicted what she was saying. There was a pause.

"You're going to the Ball, aren't you?" Admetus asked suddenly. Rumpel looked at him, confused.

"Er…Yeah, I wos plannin' on it. Aren't _yew?" _

"Yeah…yeah," said Admetus, reddening. "It was kind of a dumb question. I guess…just…everyone seems…" He trailed off. "I mean, Plato's not going, and Alonzo isn't happy about something, and… I'm not making any sense, am I?"

"Er…well…Oi fink maybe y' mean no one really seems to be in a real festive mood?"

"Yeah – that's exactly it! I mean, it's just… I know there are still three days until the Ball…but I mean, everyone always used to get more excited and… I don't know, no one really seems to care, and I mean, that's okay, I just don't really understand why, well, I know a few reasons for somecats, but not…" He sighed. He wasn't making any sense again. "I…"

"Wait," Rumpel stopped him, holding up a paw, seeming to have just realized something, "Plato's not goin'?"

"That's what he says," Adme said regretfully. "He's just…"

"He wos gonna ask me to the Ball," she interrupted, talking more to herself now.

"What? Oh – yeah. I guess that was his… wait, he didn't?" Admetus hadn't thought of it before, but maybe one of the reasons Plato was so angry and thinking about Victoria all of a sudden was that Rumpel had turned him down… Except now it sounded like he'd never asked her.

"Er…well…Oi fink…Tumble musta got t' me fuhst."

"Oh." An awkward silence followed.

"Not that Oi don't wanna go with Tumble," she added quickly. "But I don' prefer 'im to any'un else… Oi mean… I'd have gone wit' Plato if he'd… I jus' don' wanna be the reason he don't go t' the Ball." She didn't mention her spat with Jerrie. She'd thought Plato was only going to ask her because Jerrie had asked him to. But maybe he actually had wanted to ask her… But after all, it wasn't as if she'd rejected him; Tumble had been faster, that was all; Rumpel hadn't considered the possibility of anyone else wanting to ask her; she didn't think this would be so complicated; it was only the Ball…

"Oh, I don't think it was that," Admetus told her quickly, perceiving that she was beginning to blame herself. "He just…" He shook his head. "He's not seemed happy for…quite some time."

"But y' don' mean…" Teazer knit her eyebrows in thought. "'E's not still pinin' arfter Vicki, is 'e?" Admetus nodded.

"I'm afraid that's really all that's wrong…well, not all, but the main thing. But there could be more…I just don't understand…he's not one to…well, talk about his feelings…" Suddenly, Admetus stopped again – and not just because of the awkward nature of the conversation. He was staring at something. Rumpel followed his gaze and saw three cats approaching. She was confused – until the cats got to the Tire and the pieces came together in her mind. Quickly, she ducked behind the Tire; they could figure out what was wrong with Plato later…

Admetus wasn't one to get angry with other cats too easily; but he was quite put-out with Rumpelteazer for disappearing like that. His claws dug into the Tire – he wasn't sure if it was to give vent to his terror, or to keep himself from running….probably both.

"Admetus?" He opened his eyes – he hadn't realized he'd shut them – and looked down at Victoria, Etcetera, and Electra, the latter of whom had spoken.

"Y…yes?" He hated the way his voice sounded.

"Have you seen Plato?" Plato? What? Who was Plato? Who wanted to talk about Plato when Etcetera was --- Then he remembered that this was his (Plato's) sister…he remembered the whole discussion he'd just been having with Rumpel…of course Plato.

"Yes," Adme said, feeling a bit calmer, "I…just spoke with him, actually."

"How did he seem?" asked Victoria. Admetus' gaze turned to the white queen. He wondered if she knew she was the cause of Plato's distress. It wasn't exactly her fault…actually it wasn't her fault at all, since Plato had left _her, _but she must still feel terrible.

"Seem…? Ah…" Should he answer truthfully?

"Maybe we should go see for ourselves," Etcetera spoke up. Admetus pictured the three queens swarming upon Plato and asking him to spill his guts to them.

"I'm not sure that'd be the best idea…" he began, before realizing that he was contradicting the queen he wanted to ask to the Ball. Great start.

"Adme's right," Electra interrupted. "If anything…"

"He should go see Old Deuteronomy," Admetus said suddenly, wondering why he'd never thought of it before.

Victoria stared at him. "You think…?"

"Well, it couldn't hurt anything," said Electra, though she was doubtful as to whether it would actually help.

"Who's going to tell him? I don't think he'd listen to us," said Etcetera.

"I will," Adme blurted. The queens stared at him. "Er, I mean… I'll suggest it to him…He might not listen, but…"

"Thanks, Adme," said Electra, looking relieved. "And…Old D's so smart and old and wise, who knows? Maybe he can help." The others nodded, and then everyone looked at each other, not really sure what to say next.

Rumpel, tired of waiting, climbed up onto the Tire. "Well, wot are yew waitin' fer, Adme?" Admetus reddened.

"Er…yes, I…guess I'll go…tell him…" Rumpel was _so _tempted to reach back and give his tail a yank…

"Didn' yew have sommat t' say fuhst?"

"Ah…ah… no." They were all silent again, and felt more awkward than ever.

"I guess…we'll just go then," Victoria said finally, and she walked off, followed by Electra and Etcetera.

"Well, see y' latah, Adme," Rumpel said, leaving as well. "Nevah seen such a coward in all me life," she muttered as she left, but so loudly that there was no way Admetus could have missed it. She'd not gotten five feet away when she heard him scream, "ETCETERA!!"

* * *

Rumpel grinned to herself. Well, at least that was something. She felt in a considerably more cheery mood now. She supposed she'd have to forgive her brother…he wasn't so much to blame as she'd thought. Plato _had _wanted to ask her, it wasn't just Mungo… Thinking of Plato reminded her of what she and Admetus had said to one another. Their conversation hadn't seemed to enlighten either of them one bit. On the one paw, there was only so much "drama" Rumpelteazer would tolerate before she opted to ignore the situation. And there had been a lot of drama around here lately…maybe Plato needed to just tom up and quit feeling sorry for himself. What was done was done. He'd lost Victoria and wouldn't get her back. He needed to _move on! _Then, on the other paw…maybe it was something deeper than that.

Rumpel put a paw to her forehead. What were those human special doctors called…psychiatrist. Plato needed one of those. Badly.

* * *

The queen turned away in disgust. _**What'd you have me watch **_**that **_**for? **_

_**I think I know what I'm doing, don't you? **_Macavity returned coolly. _**If you must have a reason, I think that that tom would be a good help to me, a very good help, if we can get him. **_

_**As if. Plato may have anger issues, he may hate Misto's guts, but he's not about to betray his whole tribe. **_

_**You have no idea what's going on in his mind right now.**_

_**And you do? **_She shook her head. Of course he did.

_**As a matter of fact, yes. I want you to keep an eye on him. Try to turn him. I've already been in his mind and he doesn't even know it. You'll find you don't have much difficulty. **_She didn't answer, but she knew he could sense her hesitation. _**Have you changed your mind? Do you not want this anymore?**_

_**I've not changed my mind, **_she said quickly, _**but you promised me…**_

_**I'm not about to break my promise. I've said none would be harmed. Keep them out of my way and they won't be. Except one. **_There was a silence. He waited patiently. He wasn't worried at all; he had her already, he'd had her for ages. She wouldn't turn back now, not if what she had said was true…

_**I'll do it.**_ Of course she would. She would do anything for him.


	20. An Invitation

_An Invitation_

The silver tabby let out a long breath – one he hadn't realized he'd been holding until he noticed his chest hurting and his head feeling funny. That had to be the third time he'd caught himself doing it. The air was so thick with tension, it seemed to envelope everything; like steam from one of Skimble's trains. And why? This was the Ball. Everything should be as it had always been; everything should be normal.

And in fact, everything _was _normal.

That was what worried him.

His mate, beside him, gently squeezed his paw. She was trying to put him at ease, which seemed a bit silly, since she was as nervous as he was, if not more.

Munkustrap shook his head and forced himself to pay attention to the situation at paw. Every moment that went by with no screams or ominous laughs was a good thing, he told himself. Though in reality, that made him more nervous…

"Jellicle cats come out to-night," Mistoffelees sang, coming out to join Victoria, who had just finished her Invitation dance. "Jellicle cats come one, come all…" Munkustrap could see the other cats emerging from their hiding places. He looked at Demeter.

"Guess that's our cue," he said, trying to smile. He took the gold queen's paw, and they joined the other cats on the dance floor as Mistoffelees finished the last line. "…Jellicles come to the Jellicle Ball!" The tuxedoed tom grinned widely at Munkustrap as he took Victoria's paw and backed up to join the other Jellicles and give Munkustrap the floor. _He _(Misto), at least, seemed to be enjoying himself. Munkustrap couldn't help but smile.

"Jellicle cats meet once a year," sang the silver tabby, "at the Jellicle Ball, where we all rejoice…"

* * *

He wished his heart would quit pounding so loudly. The ginger patched tom leaned back against the pile of junk that was his hiding place and listened to the familiar words. It felt so strange not to be a part of it.

It had taken every ounce of willpower he possessed not to leap out and throttle that infuriating little tom who'd been his ruin. Oh, he'd maul that stupid grin off that face sure as rats carried the plague… But he had to wait. Those were his orders. If he did anything differently than he'd been told, it would end very badly for him; and for _her. _Macavity had made that quite clear. _Macavity. _Now, _there _was a brilliant mind. Those idiot Jellicles had banished him; and why? Because he was different, that was all. If you didn't conform to their bloody standards, traditions…Everlasting Cat? Pah! What a load of catnip. It was their own little kitty cult, and anyone who didn't follow it had to be eliminated.

He'd show them.

* * *

She'd never had so much fun in her entire _life! _No _wonder _they looked forward to this every year, the black and white kitten mused as she leaned, panting, against the oven. They'd just got done with Jennyanydots' song. Falden (the above-described kitten, as the reader probably already knows) had, along with most of the other young cats, stumbled and blundered her way through the tap-dancing sequence.

The entire song had been a royal disaster. Or, the greatest fun that had been had in years, depending on whom you asked. Most everyone, short of Munkustrap, Skimbleshanks, Jennyanydots herself, and perhaps Jellylorum, was of the latter opinion. So there were only a few sour faces among the cats as they all turned to Mungojerrie, who, apparently, had composed a song to sing.

Macavity hadn't spoken to her in three days. She wasn't sorry. Maybe he thought she was just a stupid kitten, but Falden knew she was being used. Whatever this stupid plan of his was, _she _sure wasn't going to get anything out of it. After some very saucy thoughts on her part, he stopped talking – or she pushed him out of her mind, she wasn't sure which.

She was rather proud of herself, really. The Jellicles owed her their lives, if you thought about it. Without her, what could Macavity do?

* * *

The ginger tom was almost doubled over with contained laughter. If that weren't the picture of naiveté, he didn't know what was. As if he had ever needed her! He had found a far more deadly weapon. _Who would have thought. _He glanced down at the queen who slept soundly by his side, rather astonished – and Macavity was not one to be astonished about anything – that she could be at such peace with what she was about to do. _Then again, perhaps love _is _more powerful than loyalty. _His lip curled into a sneer. _Love. _What a ridiculous notion. _He _had never… Yes, he had, he reflected angrily, driving his claw into a passing beetle. He had loved; and where had it gotten him? A low growl escaped him, startling the sleeping queen. With a great effort, he changed it to a purr… he could still purr…and she settled back down. The ridiculous irony of the situation caused a rather maniacal grin to spread across his features. To be despised by the one he loved, and loved by the one to whom he had never given a second thought… Well, if he couldn't have her, he could at least take her from _him…_along with everything else he held dear. And as for this one… He looked down at her again, with a mixture of disdain and curiosity. But he couldn't suppress a slight feeling of triumph. She would do, he supposed. Until she bored him or ceased being useful.

Soon he'd contact the spy (a much better, less changeable one than that stupid kit) and it would be time to wake her for _her _bit of the plan…But for now, it was amusing just watching her sleep.


	21. Not Quite as Planned

_Not Quite as Planned_

The Maine Coon shoved a paw into his mouth in attempt to get ahold of his snickers. _Almost…almost…not yet…wait for the perfect moment…_The Gumbie Cat had come to an end – usually his cue. But of course, no one knew he was still going to sing…And now Mungojerrie had stammered something about having a song to sing, or some such notion. Now it was quiet, aside from a few chattering kittens; presumably Jerrie was collecting himself. Tugger peeked out from behind his pile of garbage. All eyes were on the tiger tom, who looked decidedly uncomfortable. _Wait for it…wait for it… _Finally Mungojerrie's mouth opened. _Almost…_ One note, one word came from the tiger tom: "The—" He never got farther than that.

"MEOW!" Before anyone quite knew what happened, the dance floor was alive with flashing lights and blaring music.

"Meow!" Tugger said again, performing his dance more shockingly than ever before.

Mungojerrie stood staring – until the Tugger nearly plowed him over, and he realized he had better clear out of the way.

Victoria, Jemima, Etcetera, and Electra exchanged knowing looks.

The older cats shook their heads wearily.

The kittens were delighted – especially Falden, who had never seen this before.

Truly, only a handful of the cats took more than a moment to get over their surprise. The majority of them were quite ready when the cue came:

"The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat!"

"If you offer me pheasant, I'd rather have grouse!" Tugger sang. "If you put me in a house, I would much prefer a flat…"

* * *

The harlequin tom wound through the dark streets alone. Part of him knew he ought to be at the junkyard; not just for the Ball, but to protect the tribe. Especially with Munkustrap seeming so anxious lately…But the truth was, Alonzo was having anxieties of his own – about Old Deuteronomy. Not about the ancient tom's health; Old D. was as spry as ever. Well, as spry as could be expected from a cat of his age. No, it was Macavity…somehow Alonzo felt that Munkustrap was so worried about Macavity attacking the junkyard again that he hadn't even considered his father…after all, he _was _the one to get kidnapped last time… Now he thought on it, maybe it was silly. What would Macavity want with the old tom? Still, he _did _tend to strike where the Jellicles least expected. In any case, Alonzo was going to get Old D. and take him back to the 'yard now, instead of waiting until just before the Pekes and the Pollicles. _Safety in numbers…better safe than sorry…not that that had helped them in the past…Bombalurina…_ He shook his head, rather startled. Not because he'd thought of Bomba; he'd thought of the scarlet queen and her rather unnerving behavior quite a bit lately. It was the _context_ in which he'd thought of her that struck Alonzo as strange; that he hadn't even been thinking of her at all, and she'd come to his mind all of a sudden. Well, he hoped she was having fun. Maybe she'd had a little heart-to-heart with Demeter, or whatever it was that queens did, and was fine now, dancing with and dropping every tom in sight.

"Where are you going?" Alonzo froze and glanced around. Whoever had spoken was hiding in the shadows. But he'd recognized the voice.

"If you're going to stalk me, at least don't let me know you're there," he said, rather irritably, as Coricopat stepped out of an alleyway. "Why are you following me?"

"Where are you going?" Cori repeated.

"You already know, don't you?" growled Alonzo. "I'm going to get Old Deuteronomy."

"You should have stayed at the junkyard," said Coricopat gravely.

"Has something happened?" asked the black-and-white, instantly on the alert.

"No," said the other tom, after seeming to concentrate for a moment. "Not yet."

"I don't have time for your riddles," said Alonzo, angry again. "What is going on, and why shouldn't I be going to get Old Deuteronomy?"

"You might be able to stop _anything _from going on."

"What?"

"I'll get Old Deuteronomy. You need to find Bombalurina."

"What are you talking about? Is she missing?"

"She isn't at the Ball. But she's still in the junkyard somewhere."

"Is she in danger?"

"You can change that."

Alonzo couldn't take any more of this. He ran back in the direction of the junkyard. To find Bomba. And he had no idea where she was. He realized momentarily how stupid this whole thing was. But if Bomba wasn't at the Ball, but was still in the junkyard, there were only so many places she could be. And if she was hiding somewhere…he knew of a few places…

* * *

"Finally," the scarlet queen snapped as the ginger-patched tom ducked behind the wall of junk where she was hiding. "Well?" she prompted impatiently, when Plato didn't reply.

"Give a tom a chance to breathe, won't you," Plato growled. He glanced around. "Where's…?"

"He's already 'at his post', wherever that is. Everything's going on as usual?"

"Yeah, no one suspects a thing."

"So? He's coming?"

"No, I wanted to check back in first."

Bomba rolled her eyes. "Everyone's ready but you. Get Munkus…" Suddenly, she stiffened, and her ears pricked up.

"What…" Plato began, but Bomba silenced him. Someone was on the other side of the junk.

* * *

But Alonzo had already heard them. He stood, debating whether or not to make his presence known. He'd recognized Bombalurina's voice, but wasn't certain of the other. But why would she be hiding? This didn't look good at all…But Cori had said she was in danger…Throwing caution to the winds, probably the most idiotic thing he could have done, Alonzo vaulted over the wall of junk, landing right between the two cats. They both looked as shocked to see him as he was to see them, and for a moment all three of them just stared.

Bomba was the first to break the silence. First, she shot Plato a warning look to keep calm. They didn't know how much Alonzo had heard, but panicking would only make matters worse. "What are _you _doing here?" she asked flatly.

Just as Bombalurina and Plato had no idea how much Alonzo had heard, Alonzo had no idea what their intentions were. Truth be told, his first suspicion was that they were running off together, and jealousy roared like an angry beast inside him. But, sternly telling himself not to be an idiot, he answered, "Munkustrap noticed you weren't at the Ball and wanted me to come find you…you know how paranoid he is about Macavity lately…" He hoped they didn't notice how much his voice was shaking. He prayed to the Everlasting Cat that these two were not scheming anything and would return with him…maybe Coricopat had only said they were in danger because Macavity was planning something…_please, don't let them have anything to do with it… _Their conversation echoed in his ears. _"No one suspects a thing… Get Munkus…" _

"We're fine, as you can see," Plato growled. "And I already said I wasn't coming…"

"Well, no one should be off alone," Alonzo persisted. "You guys should at least come closer to…"

"Does either of us look alone to you?" Bomba snapped, her anger brought on as much by guilt as anything. "Since when did you become such a mother hen? We're having a private conversation that has nothing whatsoever to do with you, and if you've any manners or decency at all, you'll leave!"

Her reaction only convinced Alonzo further that there was something going on here. And Coricopat would not have said Bomba was in 'danger' if it were something as simple as her running off with Plato. He didn't even want to think that they were somehow in league with Macavity, but he couldn't imagine anything more dangerous than that. If that were the case, surely he must have tricked them into it somehow. Maybe they were hypnotized or something…In any case, he couldn't leave them to do whatever it was they were doing. He had to stop it somehow. The only thing he could think of right now was to keep them talking.

"Bomba," he said reasonably, "I know it's frustrating, but I'm only…"

"You're only sticking your nose into everyone else's business – as usual," Plato sneered.

"Can't you see you aren't wanted here?" the red queen asked, sounding almost as if she pitied him.

"I…" The scarlet queen's words brought Alonzo to an abrupt halt. An unexplainable and irrational feeling of despair seemed suddenly to engulf him. _Can't you see you aren't wanted here? _Of course he wasn't. She'd never wanted him. Why did he even bother? Bomba didn't see him as anything but some annoying fly buzzing about her ears. What had made him think he could ever be anything to her?

Slowly, he turned to go – then stopped himself, confused. What was he doing? This wasn't about him and Bomba at all; he had to stop Bomba and Plato from doing anything they'd regret; from hurting themselves and the tribe. He looked around uneasily. He felt as if some giant fist had gripped his mind, flooding it with those irrelevant thoughts, trying to make him forget his reason for being here…

"I need you both to come back with me," Alonzo resumed firmly. He paused, and both of the other cats looked close to going berserk. "Look, it's not my idea, okay?" he went on quickly. "You can take it up with Munkustrap."

"_You _can tell him that we aren't his kits," Bomba spat, while Plato muttered something under his breath that certainly Jellylorum wouldn't approve of.

"I'm not your messenger pigeon," Alonzo snapped, angry himself now.

"Right," Plato sneered, "you're just Munkustrap's."

"Can we _please—"_

"Just listen to the lot of you," said a voice behind Alonzo, cutting off what the harlequin had been about to say. Alonzo turned, warily, though he already knew who he'd see.

"I should have known," he growled, as Macavity emerged from the shadows. "You're responsible for this." His fur stood up on the back of his neck, and he instinctively unsheathed his claws. Macavity wouldn't have shown himself if he had intended to let Alonzo leave here unscathed.

"Arguing like a flock of kittens," Macavity went on, smiling in amusement at Alonzo's reaction. "Why such a fighting stance, 'Lonzi? I have no argument with you. Unfortunately, you _have _rather messed up our plans…"

"What do you want?"

"What do _I _want?" Macavity raised his eyebrows, closing the space between him and Bomba and stealing an arm around the scarlet queen. "Perhaps you should be asking the lady, here, what _she _wants."

"Don't touch her!" Alonzo snarled. Every one of his limbs shook, and it was all he could do not to tear the ginger tom away from Bomba and rip him to shreds. But he was afraid to move, afraid of what Macavity might do to the queen if he did. "Plato," he appealed to the other tom, who was looking on as if bored with the whole situation. "Do something!"

"Just how many kinds of an idiot _are _you?" Plato asked, shaking his head.

"I'm afraid you don't understand," Macavity said, calm as ever. "That Bomba and I, we…have an understanding."

"I…What?" It took Alonzo a moment to grasp what he was saying. "That's a lie!" he exclaimed. "She wouldn't…"

"I would, actually," Bombalurina interrupted coolly. Alonzo stared at her in disbelief. This had to be a trick. Macavity was forcing her to say this…

"I'm not forcing anyone to do anything," Macavity said, sounding offended. Alonzo blinked. Could Macavity hear what he was thinking? The ginger tom stepped away from Bombalurina, paws behind his back. "Look, I'm not going to hurt her. She's free to do as she pleases. Heaviside knows what she sees in me." He shrugged, at the same time grinning smugly at the mixture of mortification, anger, and confusion on the black-and-white's face.

_Is this why he's here? Because _he _and Bomba are running off…? No! He can't love her, he can't love anyone…but she loves him…but what does Plato have to do with it…This is all a trick, something's going on… _He turned his gaze on Bomba, as if to try and read the truth from her face.

"For Heaviside's sake, don't look at me like a wounded pollicle," the scarlet queen snapped.

"Bomba, do you realize who he _is?" _Alonzo's voice was almost pleading.

"I realize he's ten times worthier than any of the idiots around here."

"How can you _say _that?" Alonzo exclaimed. "He's hurt your friends, he's kitnapped Old Deuteronomy…Demeter, Bomba! What about what he did to _her? _Your own flesh and blood! How can you have anything to do with—" So quickly that the black-and-white didn't even have time to react, the queen's claws lashed out and struck him in the face.

"Shut up," she snarled. "Shut. Up." Alonzo stared at her, not even feeling pain from the gashes she'd left. He stared at the utter hatred in her eyes. He couldn't believe she could look like that. She didn't even seem like Bomba anymore, she seemed like a monster. "I love him." It amazed him how she could speak of love while emitting such hatred from her features. "Nothing is going to change that – not Demeter, not everyone's prejudice, not your bloody jealousy. Get out of here and leave me alone."

Alonzo had lost all form of fight or energy. Why had he come here? There was nothing he could rescue Bomba from, or anyone else. Macavity was here for her, and she wanted to go with him, that was all. This was what she wanted. She didn't care for him, she never had, it had always been Macavity. She wanted him to go. He would. And he wouldn't send anyone after them, either.

* * *

Macavity stared after the harlequin tom until he was out of sight, then turned angrily to Plato. "What was _that? _How hard is it to understand the instructions, 'Get Munkustrap here'?" Plato growled, but Macavity cut him off before he could defend himself. "Never mind, he's coming anyway."

"What do you mean?" Bomba interrupted. "He's not going to tell Munkustrap! He thinks this whole thing is just about us."

"He doesn't intend to tell Munkustrap. But he's going to. And Munkustrap, not being in love with you and therefore not quite as much an idiot as Alonzo at this moment, will come and investigate. He's not going to believe for a moment that I came here merely to steal you away." He smirked.

"So, then, we need to be ready," said Bomba. "How soon?"

"Oh, it shouldn't be too long." He looked at Plato. "Think you can manage to follow the _rest _of the instructions correctly?" he sneered. Plato nodded, too angry to say anything. "Good. I'll be going back to my post, then." He disappeared, and the other two settled down to wait…again.

The scarlet queen sighed. She hoped it wouldn't take long. The sooner they could get this part over and done with, the sooner she could return with him and forget any of it ever happened, forget her life here, forget everyone…no one else mattered anymore.


	22. Headlong Into It

_Headlong into It_

"_Well, of all things! Can it be, really? Yes! No! Ho, hi! Oh, my eye! My mind may be wandering, but I confess: I believe it is Old Deuteronomy!" _

Coricopat had kept his word, and the sounds of singing Jellicles floated towards him as Alonzo fled the scene behind him; fled the queen who hated him, fled the tom whose throat he would have loved to slice open, but couldn't because the queen loved _him, _fled the other feline who was in league with them both.

Now, as he drew closer and the music became louder, he wished he had gone another way. How could he ever face any of them now?

* * *

And still, all was well. True, Tugger's bit had been unexpected, but that was Tugger. And they hadn't expected Old Deuteronomy quite so soon, nor had Bustopher Jones ever shown up. But they were all safe; that was what mattered.

Suddenly, catching sight of Alonzo, whom he had not seen all evening, Munkustrap started towards him. Then he stopped, realizing that this was normally the time for the Pekes and Pollicles performance. He glanced around and, seeing Mungojerrie, pulled the tom aside and whispered something in his ear, to which the tom gave a nod, though he appeared rather surprised.

While Mungo went to round up his twin so they could entertain everyone with their song, Munk again went towards Alonzo – hurrying, this time, as he appeared to be leaving.

"Alonzo!" he called when he was near enough to be heard. Still, the black-and-white didn't seem to hear him, and he grabbed the other tom's arm, stopping him. Alonzo looked up as if surprised to see the silver tabby. "Where've you been all night?" Munkustrap asked, half from curiosity and half annoyance that Alonzo hadn't been there to help protect the tribe. "You've missed the most ridiculous…" He trailed off as he caught sight of the other tom's face. "What happened?" he demanded. "Is…"

"Nothing," Alonzo cut him off. "I just…did something stupid, that's all. Nothing's going on. Keep on with the Ball. I'll go do some patrolling just in case…" He didn't sound right at all, and Munkustrap's brow furrowed in worry. He was almost certain Alonzo was lying to him, but why would he ever do that?

"Alonzo, this is serious," Munk said sternly, trying to calm himself. "You don't expect me to believe you scratched your own face up? What'd you do, run into a pitch fork?"

"The fact that my face is screwed up doesn't mean anything of consequence is going on," Alonzo growled. "Don't you think, if…_he _had anything to do with it…I'd tell you?" Then his stomach lurched. _He _did have something to do with it; he had _everything _to do with it; but it wasn't what Munkustrap thought.

"I'd hope you would," Munkustrap said wearily. "But I don't think you are."

"What if I told you that we've been wrong all along?"

"I…what? What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that Macavity hasn't been heard from in ages. We all assumed he must be planning some awful event where half of us would be killed and the other half would be captured and there would be death and despair. That never was his plan. Bomba…" Here his voice became a snarl. "Bomba loves him. She's running away with him."

Munkustrap stared at the tom in disbelief. This couldn't be right. It was ridiculous. Alonzo had lost his mind. "Alonzo, snap out of it! That can't be…"

"I _saw _them!" he roared. "I _talked _to them. It couldn't be clearer." He pointed at his face. "I tried to tell Bomba that she was taking a monster for her mate, and she did _this _to me." He paused. "And Plato is with them, for some reason."

None of this made any sense! Munkustrap shook his head wildly, trying to think. "Okay…I can believe that Bomba would…But it can't be mutual, Alonzo, it just can't. Macavity is tricking her. Probably Plato, too. It must be some new power of his. We have to stop him!"

"She won't leave him," Alonzo promised. "There's nothing we can do." Munkustrap seized the black-and-white's shoulders and shook him.

"Alonzo! What is _wrong _with you?" He looked at the tom's eyes, blank, despairing. Had Macavity done something to him? "This whole thing is a trick. We've got to stop Macavity; he must have something else in mind; we have to protect the others." His mind flashed to his mate and kittens. If something should happen to them… But none of what he was saying seemed to resonate with Alonzo. "Alonzo, I need you," he pleaded. If he couldn't snap Alonzo out of it, he'd have to go without him… _"Bombalurina!" _he blurted, trying once more. "He has Bomba! You love her! Are you honestly just going to let him get away with this? Coward." Roughly, Munkustrap shoved the tom from him. He'd have to round up some others…Skimble, Mungo…No, they should stay here and protect the others…Munk should go alone…no, he should take _someone…_no, he should go alone… He couldn't think! And there was no time to think… Suddenly, someone seized his arm and dragged him along.

"Come on," Alonzo said roughly, "they're this way."

"Wait!" Munkustrap stopped. "We should…"

"A moment ago, you were hurrying _me," _Alonzo snapped. "Come now, or stay here and I'll go alone. And if I go alone, I'll kill him. I probably will anyway."

"All right, you win." Munkustrap walked with him, both of them unnoticed by the other cats. He did think to say, "We need a plan."

"Here's your plan: do what we should have done ages ago. Kill him. If you can't, I will."

Munkustrap smothered the emotions that tempted him to argue the point. He knew Alonzo was right. "Alonzo, only two things have kept me from doing that long ago. First…"

"He's your brother, I know," growled the other tom.

"Second…" Munkustrap lowered his head. "He's powerful. We've never been able to best him."

"One-on-one, no. But there's two of us."

"What about Plato? And Bomba? If they're both on his side…"

"We'll deal with them." Munk was alarmed at Alonzo's careless tone. Still, it was better this than his being no help at all. He supposed that would have to do; they'd _deal with them…_

"Alonzo…Do you know what Macavity's planning to do?" _Something _had to have happened to give Alonzo that sudden burst of urgency.

"He…" Alonzo hesitated. "He plans to kill. For real this time. I don't know how, or what the plan is, but we have to get to him before he can carry it out." How did he know this?

Munkustrap had a feeling Alonzo was leaving something out, but pursued, "But what if his plan is to get us away from the others? Perhaps he's got them surrounded and is waiting for us to…"

"This is Macavity. Do you honestly think he'd let his henches do it for him? He'll want to do the killing himself. He'll want to watch them stop moving beneath his claws."

Munkustrap shuddered.

Alonzo's eyes darkened. "Which is why we can't think twice; we _have _to kill him, now." He snarled. "We'll rid the world of his filthy, rotten stench."

* * *

The ginger tom chuckled. _**They're on their way. **_

* * *

"…_And there's nothin' at all to be done about that!" _Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer ended their song as wildly as ever, ridiculous grins and all.

The older cats gave some polite applause, while the kittens and young cats cheered loudly and little Demetrius entreated the twins to "do it 'gin!" Old Deuteronomy looked out over them all with his usual loving, reminiscent smile. Then he turned to Mistoffelees and Victoria, who were curled up next to him. "Where are Munkustrap and Alonzo?" he asked, puzzled and slightly concerned.

"Mmm..?" Mistoffelees, to be quite honest, had grown quite sleepy. Victoria gave him a small poke before agreeing with the ancient tom.

"Munkustrap usually does the Pekes and the Pollicles by now, and he was so anxious about it this year…Alonzo hasn't been here all evening, though," Victoria explained.

"Hoi, we gonna perform the doggies song?" Mungojerrie asked, coming over to the group with Rumpel in tow.

"We would," said Mistoffelees, "if we knew where Munkustrap was." Mungojerrie frowned.

"'E said 'e had sommat t' do," the tiger tom recalled. "That wos why he asked me 'n' Teazah t' do our song fuhst. Oi thought he'd be back by now, though."

"We doing this, or not?" asked a voice, and they looked up to see Tugger waddling over, carrying his bagpipes made of a football and plastic candy canes. "This thing is heavy…you know?"

"We can't fin' Munk," Teazer told him.

"Or Alonzo," said Misto.

"Really?" Tugger's eyes widened. "Because I haven't seen Bomba either. We should find them, _now!" _Everyone stared, never having heard him sound so panicked about something not relating to himself.

Mungojerrie sensed the tension rising, and figured they'd all better calm down before rumors got started. "No, no, Munkstap jus' prob'bly lost the costumes er somethin'," he said soothingly. "An'…Alonz's prob'bly helpin'…an' Bomba probably stayed at 'er den, she ain't been in a good mood lately. We should jus' staht the next dance." He looked to Old Deuteronomy for help.

The old cat stood to his feet and raised his voice…he still could sing as well as ever… _"Jellicle cats come out to-night, Jellicle cats come one, come all…" _

The other Jellicles looked rather confused, but most were just as glad not to do the Pekes and Pollicles and soon joined in, _"The Jellicle Moon is shining bright, Jellicles come to the Jellicle Ball…" _

Tugger was not at all convinced. In fact, he vehemently abused Mungojerrie as he left the dancing cats. "Costumes? Costumes, my tail. Idiotic…" By accident, he collided with Demeter, who was helping her kits remember the steps of the dance. "Sorry," he mumbled, sidestepping them.

Demeter, seeing that he was leaving, told Merlin to help his siblings, and went after Tugger. "Where are you going? What's going on?"

"Bomba's missing and no one's doing anything about it and I'm going to find her, that's what's going on," the Maine Coon spat, not for a moment breaking stride.

"What?" The gold queen grabbed the tom's arm. He was twice her size, and she really couldn't stop him by force, but it got his attention and he stopped of his own accord. "Tell me what in catnip you're talking about!" she demanded. "Who says Bomba's missing?"

"What's it to you?" Tugger growled impatiently.

"Oh – nothing – aside from the fact that she's my _sister," _Demeter snapped. Then Tugger remembered to whom he was speaking. He sighed.

"She hasn't been here all evening."

"She told me she wasn't coming; that's no news."

"Yeah, but Alonzo's missing too." He snarled despite himself. "And…Munkustrap. That is, Mungo said he went to…do something, and he hasn't come back."

Demeter let go of his arm, brow creased in worry. "But I haven't…" she mumbled. "He hasn't been here….I haven't sensed…"

"Newsflash: your senses ain't always right." Demeter began to protest, but she had to admit that that was true.

"All right, so where were you planning on looking?"

He frowned. "You should stay here, it's not safe."

"Forget it."

"Fine. First off, I figured all the places we _wouldn't _want to find them, such as the streets…"

"Stay in the junkyard." Demeter made a small noise, and they both turned around to see Coricopat.

"Cori," said Demeter, endeavouring to be patient, "please tell us, without riddles, what's going on. It's important."

"I…" Coricopat shook his head, looking rather frustrated. "I don't know. That is, I know that Bomba is in the junkyard; she's in danger; Munkustrap and Alonzo went to find her."

"Macavity?" Demeter whispered.

"It…it must be." Cori sounded uncertain, and that angered Demeter.

"What do you mean? Why don't you _know?" _

"There's a fog on my mind," Coricopat growled. "I can't see clearly. It has to be Macavity doing it."

"Do you think that's why I haven't sensed him?"

Cori nodded. "That seems the most likely explanation."

"All right, fine, enough talk," Tugger snapped. "So, they're in the junkyard. There's only so many places they can be." He turned and stormed off in the direction Munkustrap and Alonzo had gone. "Come on, if you're coming," he growled at Demeter. Without another word to Coricopat, Demeter followed him.

_**You let them go? **_Cori heard Tantomile's voice in his mind.

_**What else could I do? They wouldn't have listened. We don't know what's going to happen, anyway. **_There was nothing she could say to that. _**We'll just have to keep a lookout. As long as nothing's happening, the others here can go on as before. There are still strong toms here if something goes wrong. **_

* * *

"Owch!" Dahlia exclaimed indignantly as she and Demetrius collided. _"No, _Demi, it was s'posed to be the other way!"

"N'uh!" Deme shook his head stubbornly. "I know how ta do it. _You _doing it wrong."

Merlin was nearly ready to tear out his headfur. "Where's Mum?" he groaned to Merrilee.

"Catnip if _I _know," panted the silver queen, who was doing her best to keep up with the older cats. She gave a yelp and dived out of the way as Mistoffelees and Victoria waltzed past them, doing a completely different dance from the others, yet somehow it fit. As she dodged the two, she bowled right into Perci, who was a few feet behind her and her siblings.

"Hey!" protested the ginger tom. "This is hard enough without you trying random leaps!"

"Yeah," added Falden, doing a dramatic spin and nearly colliding with Admetus and Etcetera. "They should offer dance lessons all year to get ready for this!" She looked around. "Where's your mum? I was totally following _her _lead."

"I don't know," Merrilee sighed in frustration, giving up on the dance and backing out of the way to sit on a pile of junk. The others soon followed suit.

"I don't see why everyone looks forward to this," Merlin grumbled.

"Hey, it was fun earlier," Falden reminded him. "It's this whole…dancing as a unit and staying in order thing that gets me."

Dahlia looked almost ready to cry. "If mummy were still here, we'd be doing fine."

"Where is she?" Demetrius nearly wailed. "She missing tha party!"

Tantomile appeared beside them, making them all jump. "Your mum had something important to do. Why don't you all go sit with Old Deuteronomy? I'm sure he'd like that."

"Yeah!" Deme and Dahlia brightened in an instant. "We go sit wis g'andpa!" The others followed, if slightly less enthusiastically.

Perci stayed.

"Hadn't you better go too?" Tantomile prompted.

"Where did she go?" Perci asked, folding his arms stubbornly. He didn't like this at all.

"You'll only put yourself in danger," Tantomile warned. She spoke as if she thought he already knew where Demeter had gone. Which, now, he supposed he did. Tantomile had just confirmed his suspicions.

"It's got something to do with my…with Macavity, doesn't it?"

"Stay out of it," Tantomile implored.

"Yeah, right. Which way?" Reluctantly, Tantomile pointed out the direction Demeter and Tugger had gone.

"Just what do you think you're going to do?" she called after him.

"I don't know, but I'm sure as Heaviside not sitting on my rump doing nothing." _**Because there really is nothing you can do, you know. You're just going to cause more trouble for everyone. Best stay out of it. **_"Shut up," he mumbled, only running faster into the night. "It's my responsibility, I'm the reason, I've got to help."

* * *

"Oh, my ignorant little whelp," Macavity chuckled. "If only you had the slightest notion of what's really going on here."


	23. Seeking Answers

_Seeking Answers_

It felt as if they were walking into an ambush – in all probability, they were – and the silver tabby didn't like it one bit. "Shouldn't we…you know, be a bit more discreet?" he muttered to Alonzo as they approached the place where the tom had left Macavity and the two Jellicles. The black-and-white shook his head.

"What would be the use? They know we're coming."

"How do you know?"

"I think it's time to realize that Macavity isn't surprised by anything. He's figured it out somehow, and no doubt he's let the others know."

"Who's making him sound like the Everlasting Cat, now?" Munkustrap remarked.

"Still fight like an old, married couple," sneered a ginger-patched tom, coming out from behind a wall of junk.

"Plato," said Munkustrap, almost pleadingly, "what's going on?"

"I've already made it clear 'what's going on'," Alonzo muttered, groaning inwardly. Munkustrap was questioning Plato as if he thought this was all one huge misunderstanding; he'd "never be on Macavity's side! Oh, no, not Plato!"

"And I suppose _you _know?" Plato asked contemptuously, turning to Alonzo.

"I know as much as you all were good enough to inform me," said Alonzo sarcastically. "But one piece of the puzzle doesn't fit, and I just had to come back and see if my suspicions were true. Are you _really _planning on having a threesome?"

It took a moment for Plato to register what Alonzo meant, and then he roared with laughter. "You think – you actually think…"

"It's difficult to know _what _to think, when one comes across two toms and a queen, all conspiring together, and the queen claims to be mates with one of the toms; where's that leave the other one? What are _you,_ Plato, their illegitimate offspring?"

Now it sounded as if Alonzo was merely having a temper tantrum, and Munkustrap hoped he wouldn't forget what they were here for.

"That's a good one, I'll have to remember that!" guffawed a familiar voice, coming up behind them. Munkustrap turned.

"Tugger!" He looked a bit farther on, and saw his mate. "What are you doing here?" he demanded of both of them.

"What a party!" Plato remarked, not having been at all fazed by Alonzo's insults to him.

"Looking for you, and Bomba, obviously," Tugger said in answer to Munk's rather stupid question. He looked around. "Looks like we're all here…except Bomba." He frowned. "Plato, have you seen her?"

Alonzo grimaced. "You're going to cause more trouble than help – go back," he growled. "Trust me."

"Right." Tugger folded his arms, narrowing his eyes at the black-and-white. "On the other hand, maybe _you _can tell us where she is, 'Lonz."

"You haven't the least bloody idea what you're talking about!" Alonzo fumed, ready to murder someone.

"Bomba's become quite popular," Plato mused, as if he were watching a play unfold.

Munkustrap opened his mouth to intervene, but Demeter was quicker. "Shut _up_!" she shouted, glaring around at all of them. "You are all being ridiculous." She looked at Plato. "Just tell us what is going on."

"He's _not _going to…" Alonzo gave up explaining and marched over to Plato. "Listen, rat, I don't know what idiot disease overtook your brain, but you're obviously acting as one of Macavity's minions. You're going to tell us where he is, what he's going to do, and anything related." He bowled into the other tom. Plato, not expecting the attack, fell onto his back. Alonzo placed his foot on Plato's neck.

"Alonzo—" Munkustrap began to protest.

"Munk, standing around calmly conversing is going to get us nowhere," Alonzo snarled. "Well?" He returned his attention to Plato. The ginger-patched tom now seemed mildly miffed, but not very concerned about the position he was in. He didn't even attempt to get Alonzo off him, though he could have easily done it.

"For one who knows so much, you know an awful little," Plato jeered. "If you knew what was going on, you would know that I know nothing about anything."

"Dravel!" Alonzo applied pressure to the tom's neck. "You know something, or you wouldn't have been with them; you wouldn't still be here."

"Did it ever occur to you that my being here may have nothing to do with Macavity?"

"Don't make me laugh," snorted Tugger, all at once taking Alonzo's part – or, at least, joining with him against Plato. "Why else would you be here?"

"You are not in this interrogation," Alonzo snapped, stamping down harder on Plato's neck, in his frustration, producing a slight gurgle from the tom.

"Alonzo," Munk said flatly, "do you want to kill him?"

"Yes, thank you, I'd love to," growled the black and white, albeit removing his foot from the ginger tom's throat.

"Well…" Tugger rolled his eyes in Alonzo's direction, _"that _was effective."

"What do you all want?" Plato stayed lying on the ground and put his paws behind his head, as if he were sunning himself on the Tire. "I've got nothing to tell you." He whistled a tune softly under his breath. "Seems to me you're just poking your noses into other cats' business," he added. "I'm allowed to be where I please."

"But, Plato," said Munkustrap, still bent on being reasonable, despite what Alonzo said, "it just seems, … we were just concerned, when… Plato, if nothing is going on, why won't you say where Bomba has gone?" He looked around. "And Macavity?"

"I thought Patches had explained," Plato finally began to sound annoyed, "that they have decided they are madly in love and have run off together. What more do you need to know?"

"Why were you with them?" Munk persisted.

"Happened to be in the same place at the same time." Plato shrugged. "Bomba didn't tell me where they were going, the reasons for which should be obvious: she and I are not exactly bosom friends; and she was well aware that certain others…" He glanced sideways at Demeter. "…Would disapprove. And so, here I am, perfectly ignorant of the whereabouts of the missing lovers, and perfectly innocent of any involvement in any conspiracy. There is no conspiracy; only a love-driven act of desperation, with which I have nothing to do, and nor do any of you. So I suggest you just nip along back to your party and leave me in peace." Having finished speaking, the ginger-patched tom closed his eyes, clearly having no intention to say more.

Tugger's expression had become increasingly wrathful throughout Plato's speech. "I'm going to find and kill him," he hissed between clenched teeth. He had fairly vanished before anyone could stop or question him – truth be told, each of the cats was rather preoccupied with his (or her) own anger and confusion, and could not be bothered to pay attention to much else.

Munkustrap stared at Plato for a moment, before turning to Alonzo. "I think…he may actually be telling the truth," said the silver tom wonderingly. He automatically turned to comfort Demeter, but stopped short at the expression of resignation on her face.

"It's her choice," she said flatly. "Nothing would have stopped her."

"You've known this all along," Munkustrap stated the obvious.

"I knew she loved him," Demeter confirmed. "I just never dreamed a monster like him would reciprocate," she added; "but Bomba can make anyone fall in love with her."

"The Bomba-and-Macavity thing is obviously a diversion," Alonzo was ready to tear his headfur out; why did Munk believe Plato, after all that Alonzo had told him?, "meant to distract us from…" He looked at Demeter in sheer disbelief. "How can _you, _of all cats, not sense that…" His eyes widened. "Skat," he muttered, spinning around and hightailing it back in the direction of the Ball. Demeter and Munkustrap had little choice but to follow.

"There," muttered Plato as they went, "you'd better have done whatever it is you meant to do." He relaxed against a pile of junk, confident that Tugger would do no more than go on a wild mouse chase, and that, by the time the other three arrived on the scene, it would be too late.


	24. Waiting

_Waiting_

"Watch where you're going!" Percival growled as he banged into someone. He had to get there, had to figure out what was going on, had to stop Macavity… or do _something. _

Whoever he'd banged into had different ideas. Perci found himself gripped tightly by the scruff of his neck, unable to proceed. "Let me go!" he demanded, struggling to free himself.

"Where do you think you're off to, kit?" snarled Tugger – for it was him, of course, having run about willy-nilly trying to find Bombalurina and save her – or Macavity and kill him – preferably both. Having failed so far, he was venting his frustration by pretending to be suspicious of anyone he happened to find.

"I'm looking for Macavity," Perci began impatiently; but it turned out to be the wrong phrasing to use.

"You're joining up with him too, are you? Well, let me just tell you…"

"I'm trying to _stop _him, idiot! He's about to…"

"You know what his plan is?" Tugger pulled Perci close, so that they were nose-to-nose. "Tell me!" he commanded.

"Of course I don't know!" the ginger tom shouted. "I was told he was in this direction – the direction I saw you and Demeter heading off to not long ago. If anything, _you _ought to know."

"He's got Bomba somewhere! And I'm going to kill him, wherever he is!" Tugger declared, flinging Perci aside and rushing away.

Perci, perceiving that he had missed important goings-on, gave a frustrated growl, spun around, and headed back towards where he'd left the others. He didn't know why, but somehow he felt that that was where he needed to be now.

* * *

In the midst of the mad dancing, the music came to an abrupt halt and the Jellicles suddenly found themselves plunged into pitch darkness.

* * *

Alonzo raced towards the dance floor, Munkustrap and Demeter close behind. He pricked his ears up, straining to hear the sounds of the music and the thumps made by the less-gracefully-inclined dancing cats. He heard nothing. Struck by an even stronger sense of foreboding, he quickened his pace. "Alonzo," Munkustrap demanded, "what is going…"

"Shh!" Alonzo held up his paw, coming to a stop. Munkustrap and Demeter stood beside him, gaping at the nearly-deserted dance floor. All the Jellicles were gone, with the exception of Jellylorum and Jennyanydots, who hurried towards them.

"Munkustrap, thank goodness," exclaimed Jelly. It was clearly requiring a lot of effort on her part to remain calm. Jenny said nothing; she looked ready to go into hysterics at any moment.

"What's happened, Jelly?" asked Munkustrap shakily, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. "Where's everyone gone?"

"They've – they've gone after…" Jelly cast an uneasy glance at Demeter.

"Go on," said the gold queen firmly, though there was a tremor to her voice as she looked and listened in vain for any sign of her kits.

"We…thought there had been – a power shortage somewhere, or…" Jelly stammered. "We were dancing, when suddenly everything went dark, and…It only lasted a moment, but then…" Here she stopped again.

"What happened?" Alonzo prompted.

"Old Deuteronomy was gone!" she cried, at which point Jennyanydots burst into tears and sobs. "That was when we knew it must have been…" She glanced at Demeter again. "…Him. And – "

"Was Old Deuteronomy the only one?" asked Munkustrap quietly.

"No." Jelly ducked her head. "Victoria disappeared." The tears she could no longer contain began flowing with a vengeance. "And…Merlin, Merri, Dahlia, and Demetrius." She added quickly, "The others have all gone after them, apart from Etcy and Electra and Jemima, I've got them and Pounce looking after that new queen-kit…" Unable to say more, she sank to the floor, holding her head in her paws. Jenny quickly sat next to her, smothering her own sorrow in an attempt to comfort the terrified mother.

Demeter's composure gave out at last. She gave a low gasp and collapsed into her mate's arms. Munkustrap felt an icy claw of fury grip his insides; whatever lack of resolve he might have had towards killing his brother, was gone. He lay Demeter down; Jenny, having nearly come back to her full senses at seeing her daughter's reaction, took the gold queen's head in her lap and stroked her forehead gently.

Munkustrap turned away; he could not afford to stay with the queens when others so desperately needed his help. "Alonzo," he growled, "we…"

But Alonzo had already gone.

* * *

The tiny gold tom clung to his grandfather's arm. "Me not like dis, G'anpa," he whimpered.

"We're all right, Deme," soothed the ancient cat. "This is just the vicarage wall; I sun myself up here all the time."

"B-but it's dark out," spoke up Dahlia tremulously. "W-we can't sun ourselves."

"And how did we get here?" Merrilee asked in confusion.

"Probably one of Misto's magic tricks gone terribly wrong," Merlin snapped, more annoyed than frightened.

Victoria looked up sharply. "He's well past silly mistakes like this," she defended her mate, speaking more angrily than she'd intended. "And he doesn't use magic to play pranks, either," she added. She wrapped her arms around her knees, rocking back and forth in her anxiety. _Misto, please find us, please come rescue me, _she cried silently.

"Well, never mind," Merlin went on, "let's just get down from here." But they couldn't. None of them could explain it; every time they attempted to climb down, something stopped them; they couldn't seem to remember what it was they were trying to do, or where they were; they nearly seemed to go blind. They would have to stop and clear their minds of the confusion; by the time they returned to normal, they were in the same place as they had been before.

"This is all _his _doing, I know it," Victoria whispered to Old Deuteronomy, so as not to frighten the kits. She didn't mention Macavity's name for fear they might attract his attention – although she was certain he was the one who had brought them here, and would show himself soon enough.

"I _know _what you're saying," Merrilee rolled her eyes. She looked around. "Lousy place to hide us, though, the others'll find us in no time."

"Hide?" Demetrius blinked at his sister. "We – we's playing hide-n-seek?"

"I like hide and seek," Dahlia giggled nervously.

"Yes," said Victoria quickly, "hide and seek – we'd better not let them find us! Everyone shut your eyes!" She scrunched her eyes shut.

"Silly Vicki," Dahlia laughed, "I can still see you!"

"That's only because you've still got your eyes open, Dalli," Merri said, picking up on what Victoria was doing. "We've all got to close our eyes." She shut her own eyes and elbowed Merlin, who rolled his eyes but did shut them. Dahlia giggled again and shut her eyes.

"Now," Old Deuteronomy whispered, "cuddle up close to me and they will never find you!" He did his best to keep the worry from his voice as he glanced around for any sign of life. The night was foggy and silent; but he knew his son was close by. He closed his own eyes, praying to the Everlasting Cat to get them out of this alive – not himself, necessarily, he had lived a long life; but the young ones surrounding him, they had so much yet to live for, it was nowhere near their time – by and by, he heard the soft sounds of their breathing, and knew they had fallen asleep. _Good. Let them sleep…while they still can. _


	25. Trapped

_Trapped_

Jellylorum had spoken true: everycat (apart from Jemima, Electra, Etcetera, Pouncival, and Falden) _had _gone out looking for the vanished cats and kittens.

Unfortunately, it was rather a disorganized business; no one stopped to take any time to plan out search parties and who would go where. There was a general cry to the effect of, "They're gone – find them!" and everyone ran off in various directions, some staying in the junkyard, but most heading out into the dimly-lit London streets.

Mistoffelees was of the latter group of cats, and, as fate (or the Everlasting Cat) would have it, he found himself in company with Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer (who had apparently kept her resolve to forgive her brother and was now speaking to him again). Mungo and Rumpel conversed a bit, speculating as to what had happened and where they ought to look, while occasionally casting uncomfortable glances at Misto, who was remaining silent, his jaw set in a mixture of worry, anger, and determination.

"It wos Mac-a-thing, I know it," Teazer said firmly – as if anyone would disagree with her on that. Who else had the capacity to make cats disappear from one place and reappear in another? … Well, that is, who else had that capacity who would actually _do _it (unnecessarily) in the middle of the Ball…Not Misto, surely; he may have been a bit iffy still on some of his magic, but he knew now what caused it (in general), so he could easily refrain from doing it; and he was above playing petty tricks.

Mungo wasn't precisely convinced. Still, in view of their recent estrangement, it was probably best to agree with her. "Aye, you're probably right," he said. And that was all they said of that matter. "Er…Misto?" he addressed the tuxedo tom rather hesitantly. "Er…yew seem ta be leadin' th' way, we're followin' yew. Where d'ye think they've gone?"

Misto didn't turn around. "I…" he began, then suddenly stopped and held up his paw. "Shh!" he hissed to the others. A metal trash can lid had just crashed to the ground in front of them. "Who's there?" Misto called out demandingly, although Mungo and Rumpel weren't certain that was exactly the best course of action to take…now they had officially challenged whomever was there; a fight here might hinder them from reaching Victoria and Old Deuteronomy and the kits in time.

"Just me," grunted a voice, and a ginger tom stood up from the ground, where he'd tripped and fallen, dusting himself off – not exactly who they would have wished to see at the moment, but at least they knew who it was.

That didn't stop Teazer being very miffed. "Perce, wot are yew doin' here?" she demanded. "You oughta be back in th' junkyahd with…"

"Right," Percival snorted. "Under the circumstances, I think if there's anywhere I _ought _to be, it's with you, helping find the others." Teazer opened her mouth to argue, then changed her mind. Perci had a point: he was related to all the cats involved, with the exception of Victoria. She supposed she couldn't argue with that. "Even Jelly and Jenny didn't object," he added smugly. It was true: he had gone back to the dance area for the briefest moment, found out what happened, and then turned right back around and headed for the streets. No one had tried to stop him, although Jelly, Jenny, and Demeter had all been rather preoccupied with handling their own and one another's griefs and anxieties.

"Righ', well, stay close t' us," Mungo said gruffly, to hide his own worry. "Don' do anythin' stupid, an' listen to…" He glanced around for Misto, but the black tom had already started off again and was nearly out of sight. The other three rushed to catch up with him.

"I say, Perce," Rumpel panted as they reached Misto and slowed down, "I don' s'pose yew 'appen to get…" She hesitated, wondering if she might offend him. Then she decided that it was worth the risk, in these circumstances. "…Any sorta…feelin'? Y' know, when…when Macci-thing's around?"

Perci felt his pelt prickle in slight annoyance, but Rumpel was somewhat correct; that is, he thought she might be. A few times – such as when he had jerked awake and given Falden the excuse that he had had a bad dream – he had gotten an unexplainable feeling of dread…an odd prickle down the back of his neck. He supposed it was to be expected, what with who his parents were…still, he did not at all enjoy the fact, but, since he knew Rumpelteazer had only asked because she thought it might help them locate the others (for surely Macavity was the one responsible for their disappearance), he answered her civilly:

"Sometimes. But I don't have it now; and that doesn't mean anything, really; who knows what…he can do, he can probably hide himself from…well, our senses, or whatever…probably why Demeter's senses are so sporadic…But I'll let you know if I feel anything," he assured her.

"Er…right, thanks," Teazer said, rather awkwardly. Any further conversation was put on hold as Mistoffelees stopped and held up his paw – again. Teazer, having been preoccupied with Perci, wasn't expecting it, and smacked into Mungo. Perci stopped himself just short of slamming into Rumpel. "Sorry," began the gold and black tabby sheepishly, but Misto made her a violent sign to be silent. "What…" A glare from Misto quieted her.

Mistoffelees pricked up his ears, straining to hear something. Everyone watched, listening, too, for whatever it was he heard – or thought he heard. There was what seemed to be a long pause. Then,

"It's Victoria!" Mistoffelees exclaimed in a whisper. "She's singing! She's singing so I'll find her!"

Before anyone else could say anything – suggest a plan, caution him as to the possibility of its being a trap, or any other such notion – he rushed off in the direction of the sound. The others had little choice but to follow.

* * *

Alonzo would tear apart this entire city if he had to, but he _would _find the others. He would not let Munkustrap down – he would return his kits to him safe and sound – he would rescue Old Deuteronomy – he would see to it that Victoria was all right – he would find out what was wrong with Plato – but, most of all, he would kill Macavity. He would kill him, ridding the world of his evil filth and freeing Bombalurina from him once and for all.

Suddenly, he stopped and listened. Was that…? He strained his ears to reassure himself of the sound. It was… _singing? _Why was Bomba singing?

He smacked himself in the head. What did it matter, _why? _He knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that if he followed the sound, he would find Bomba – and, likely, the others, too. Once there, Macavity could not be far from the scene; he would kill Macavity first, and find the others afterwards.

* * *

Munkustrap paused beside a streetlamp. Was he really hearing what he thought…? Yes. Unmistakably, that was Merrilee's voice; he could always pick hers out from the others', because, he was rather embarrassed to admit, her ear for tunes was slightly off. He could not believe that she was actually singing now, when, it seemed to him, she and her siblings were in grave peril. Perhaps, from wherever Macavity was holding her prisoner, she was sending out a signal to anyone who might happen to be near enough to hear and come to the rescue.

Munkustrap quickened his pace. _I'm coming, Merri, hold on. Everlasting Cat, help me…please care for Deme, he must be so frightened… Dahlia will try to be brave… But Merlin will watch out for all of them… _It struck him, at last, that these kittens, _his _kittens, his own flesh and blood, were in danger of – no. He wouldn't think of it. He would reach them in time! He had vowed never to let any harm come to them; he had promised Demeter, and he intended on keeping his word!

* * *

Skimbleshanks had had his doubts, but Tumblebrutus had insisted that he heard singing, and that they certainly ought to head in the direction from which it was coming, for that _had _to be where the lost cats were.

The singing led them to the vicarage wall, and then, strangely, came to a stop. "I don't care for this, I don't care for this at all, lad," Skimble muttered to Tumble. "It's likely a trap."

"Trap or not, the others must be here," Tumble said grimly. Just then, he heard pawsteps, and crouched defensively in front of the older tom, who chuckled dryly.

"Bless you, Tumble, I'm not a fossil yet," said Skimble. When the footsteps had nearly reached them, he leaped at whoever it was. Skimble would have joined him, but he heard more pawsteps behind him and was attacked before he could react.

It only took a short time for the fighting cats to recognize one another – thankfully, before anyone sustained any serious injuries.

"Tumble, it's me, get off," Mistoffelees yowled, kicking the larger tom in a futile attempt to move him. "Get off or I'll zap you," he threatened.

Tumble, at last realizing what was happening, backed off. He looked around: all the search parties had ended up here, and were profusely apologizing to one another for their mistakes.

"Something isn't right," Coricopat remarked.

"How did we all come to the same place?" Tantomile wondered.

Percival gaped. It was the first time he had ever heard one of these two ask a question – and actually sound as though they didn't already know the answer.

"You have all this great insight, you tell us," said Alonzo angrily. Before anyone could reply, he said, "For myself, I only followed the sound of Bombalurina's voice."

"Oh, so that's who it was?" Tumble wondered. "I couldn't tell."

"You're wrong," Mistoffelees said. "It was definitely Victoria's voice; I couldn't be mistaken."

Alonzo bristled. "You want to challenge me over whose voice it was, kit?" he said sarcastically.

"Stop," Munkustrap said quickly. They looked at him. "I…I heard my daughter's voice."

"We're all hearing different voices," Admetus groaned. He added quickly, "It sounded like Etcy's voice to me, but I knew she was at the junkyard, so I assumed it must be Victoria's…"

"It _is _a trap," Skimbleshanks groaned.

"I simply _adore _all of your brilliant deductive reasoning skills!" chortled a voice.

The cats jumped. There was no mistaking whose voice it was, but they could not see him anywhere; they could only hear him, and his voice seemed to boom all around them.

"Macavity!" Munkustrap was beyond caution. "Set them free. Now," he ordered.

"Somehow, my dear brother, I do not think you are in any position to demand things of me," Macavity pointed out.

"Enough games," Mistoffelees snarled, his claws glistening with electricity which he could hardly hold back. Uselessly, he shot one bolt out into the air. "Tell us what you want."

"I would not do that if I were you," Macavity cautioned him. "You might mistakenly kill someone you would be rather sorry to kill."

"Where is Victoria?" Misto screamed. "What have you done with her?"

"All in good time," Macavity chuckled. "As for your question of a moment ago, what I want, well, it's rather simple: you all do as I wish, or your dear leader will die, along with my little nieces and nephews, and – oh, yes – who was it you mentioned a moment ago? – Victoria. … No, actually, I have just changed my mind: I am not going to kill Victoria, I've other plans for her – well, not I, but someone else we all know, and he would be quite miffed if she should be killed, so I shall refrain – but the others will certainly die, undoubtedly."

"What do you want, then?" shouted Munkustrap. "What should we do?"

"That's just the trouble, my brother," said Macavity. "You see...there is nothing I want; nothing any of you can do that would possibly be of any use to me. So, unfortunately, there is absolutely no way of preventing the deaths I have just mentioned." Unable to help himself, he burst out into a wave of maniacal laughter, while the cats screamed and yowled in fury.

"I've heard enough," snarled Alonzo, approaching the wall and trying to find a way to climb up. But the moment he touched it, he jerked his paw away; it was hot as fire.

"Ah, yes, you may not want to do that," Macavity observed. "Hot, isn't it? Also, should anyone try anything silly, I've got cats with me – you're far outnumbered." He shook his head. "Tragic, yes? None of you can do anything, apart from sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Those with weak constitutions may want to leave – oh, I forgot, that's all of you. Well, someone will want to remain, to dispose of the bodies, otherwise I shall merely make a bonfire of them, or perhaps send them to the university, yes, humans love using dead cats for their studies, don't they?"

As promised, no less than twenty or so cats emerged, seemingly from nowhere, and surrounded the wall – all of them were much larger than any of the Jellicles.

The Jellicles looked at one another, and at the impossible task before them.

Macavity laughed again as they realized the hopelessness of their situation. He waited a moment, for effect, then spoke again:

"And, I suppose you'll want to see your dear ones, before you are obliged to bid them farewell forever."

A streetlamp that no one had noticed before suddenly came on, directly shining onto a particular part of the wall, revealing Old Deuteronomy, Victoria, and the kittens. They were still sleeping, including Old Deuteronomy.

"How lovely," Macavity sneered, "such a nice time for a nap…TIME TO WAKE UP!" he boomed, and all six cats were startled from their slumbers.


	26. Unexpected Help

_Unexpected Help_

Victoria, the first to blink away the cobwebs and remember where she was, gasped in horror at the scene below her. Nearly everyone she knew – those she'd grown up looking up to, some she'd been kittens with, all of whom she cared for – and Mistoffelees, her Misto… She was unable to hold back a sob. "Mistoffelees," she called out uselessly.

* * *

The ginger-patched tom bristled, rage and grief conflicting within him. He could hardly bear it – to hear the queen he loved calling out to someone else, even in the hopeless situation putting her faith and hope and trust in another cat…who wasn't him. The very thought made his paws clench, longing to have the tuxedo tom's neck between them, squeezing the life out of that mangy little…

"If you really want her to survive," murmured a voice by his ear, "I strongly suggest you remove her from danger first. There will be plenty of time to have satisfaction with the scrawny little moggy afterward."

Plato started, and glanced around, but saw nothing, although he had heard Macavity's voice as if the other tom had been standing beside him.

However, he wasted no time in following the ginger tom's suggestion. He hurried up the stone steps, lifted the white queen easily in his arms, and fairly leapt back down. He was near, oh so near, to achieving everything he wanted in life – and, really, what he wanted was not much at all. All he wanted was to have revenge on the one who had, up to now, made his life a miserable existence; to regain the affections and loyalty of the one who had once been everything to him, and to whom he had been everything; and to spend the rest of his life with her and no one else. Was it so much to ask? What did he want except what everycat on earth wanted?

* * *

Mistoffelees briefly heard his mate cry out, before she suddenly disappeared, carried off by someone on the other side of the wall. _"Victoria!" _he exclaimed, half snarl, half anguished cry. Unable to contain himself any longer, he flung himself at the wall, heedless of its burning heat or the large cats that surrounded it. Of course he was set upon by one of the henchcats before even reaching the wall: a large, white Siberian tom. Mistoffelees was rather small to begin with, and this tom was about twice as large as any of his friends. Unfazed, however, Misto scratched, clawed, and bit at every part of the tom he could reach, his sheer rage giving him strength.

The tuxedo tom's actions set off the rest of the Jellicles. If anyone had had any hesitation; if any of them had been trying to think of a more cautious approach… All of that was thrown to the winds, now, and each Jellicle threw him- or herself at one of the henches, attempting to keep each hench busy enough that one Jellicle wouldn't be set upon by a whole group of them.

And, truth be told, the smaller cats were holding their own remarkably well. Unfortunately, not so well as for any of them to be able to get past the henches and approach the wall in any attempt to rescue their leader and the kittens.

* * *

Cassandra, having seen the majority of the Jellicles rush out of the junkyard to search for the missing felines, decided that someone ought to take the time to search for them _in _the junkyard. Having been unsuccessful in that area, she had, at last, headed out into the streets, searching the parts of town most familiar to her: namely, her humans' house and surrounding vicinity, including the construction site that had once been Macavity's lair.

She picked her way through the rubble that still littered the area, wrinkling her nose in distaste. Humans were such impossible creatures: taking it into their heads to tear a building down for no particular reason, then neither building anything in its place nor even bothering to clean up their own mess!

"Nothing here," she reported, having scanned the area.

"Then what d'ye want here?" growled a voice at her side, causing her to nearly jump out of her fur. After recovering, she reddened to the eartips, realizing she'd been caught talking to herself. She turned and saw the speaker – an elderly black-furred tom – as he went on, "All a cat wants is to sleep, but how can he with that blasted noise, an' now _you _come trampin' around here…what's a pretty little lady like you doin' around here, anyhow… It's dangerous, y'could sprain a paw," he finished sarcastically.

"What noise?" Cassandra asked, interested only in part of what he said.

"Ye haven't heard all the racket comin' from down round about the churchyard?" he asked in disbelief.

She pricked up her ears to listen. Assuredly enough, there were sounds of some sort of a conflict…

And Cassandra, for once in her life feeling truly grateful to another cat besides herself, looked the old tom straight in the eye. "What's your name?"

He was so startled that he answered at once, "Albert."

"I'm Cassandra." She gave his paw a squeeze. "I have to go. But, Albert, _thank you!" _And she hurried off into the night, leaving behind the bewildered old tom who, after staring after her for a moment, finally lay his head back down, muttered something about "crazy young'uns," and went back to sleep, never knowing what had really disturbed his slumbers.


End file.
